Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

I also have three other government amendments in this group—two to Schedule 6 and two to Clause 57. They are all minor and technical in nature, but they are necessary to improve the clarity of the drafting. Amendment 89JZD provides clarification to paragraph 15 of Schedule 6 that the agreement of the Secretary of State is necessary only for a Welsh plan for the Welsh inshore region which makes provisions relating to retained functions. We included this provision to ensure that the existing devolution arrangements should not be curtailed by this Bill by the need for the Secretary of State to agree plans which cover only devolved matters. Amendment 89JB is a minor and technical amendment that corrects an incorrect reference we made in paragraph 15(6) of Schedule 6. This deals with the adoption and publication of a marine plan. The Bill refers to the ““policy authority”” deciding what modifications to the proposals are needed before the final plan becomes adopted. This should read the ““marine plan authority”” instead. Amendment 94ZA makes a small change to Clause 57(3), to replace the use of a marine policy document ““in force”” in the marine plan area with ““which is in effect”” instead. The reason simply is to ensure consistency in terminology throughout this part of the Bill. Amendment 94ZB would remove from Clause 57(5)(e) the surplus words, "““and has not withdrawn from it.””" This relates to the effect of the marine policy statement on decisions. These words are unnecessary because the definition of ““adopted”” in this clause already includes a reference to the effect of withdrawal from the MPS. Amendment 89JZD agreed.