Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

That is yet another reason why we are so grateful that the noble Lord has returned to our debate on this Bill. We await that debate with great anticipation. Indeed, my noble friend Lord Davies is eager to respond to it. The point is that the Isle of Man is a Crown dependency alongside the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Since the noble Lord presses me, I point out that the Bailiwick of Guernsey includes the separate jurisdictions of Alderney and Sark and is also responsible for the administration of the islands of Herm, Jethou and Lihou. The island of Brecqhou—I hope that I have pronounced it right—is part of Sark. Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK, but are self-governing dependencies of the Crown. The Crown dependencies are not represented in the UK Parliament and UK legislation does not extend to them. In a sense, we have debated devolution matters and the one principle we have stuck to is that the Bill reflects the devolution settlement. I make the same point about the Crown dependencies. However, behind the noble Lord’s rather mischievous intervention, if I may put it that way, is a serious point—that it is as important to work with the Administrations of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man as it is with the devolved Administrations. That is the challenge. I will go away and respond to him seriously in relation to how we intend to work with the Isle of Man Administration, if he would be happy with that. Before I was so ably interrupted by the noble Lord I was trying to respond to the question of what proportion of the seas would be covered by marine conservation zones. I have already acknowledged the extremely important work of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, which recommended the figure of 30 per cent of the seas. I hope I will not be pressed any further on this matter. I cannot give, and I think it would be wrong for me to give, a figure tonight. However, in accordance with Section 119, we have already started a series of research projects with Natural England and the JNCC on what UK ecological coherence should look like. Under the Bill, Ministers will be required to report regularly to Parliament on progress in designating the network, starting in 2012. Those reports must include the extent to which the network has been achieved. There is clear accountability and a reporting mechanism. I re-emphasise that marine conservation zones will be identified using the best available scientific evidence but the Secretary of State will be able to consider the social and economic consequences of designations. Later amendments deal with that particular matter.