Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

That is certainly so, but I am not sure that I am able to go into any accurate detail about it at this point. What the noble Lord is reflecting is the fact that there is a marine strategy framework directive which is the property of the European Commission. It requires member states to include spatial protection measures within their programmes of measures to achieve good environmental status, and therefore we have a plank on which to argue and negotiate the achievements scheduled in this Bill against a background of general European understanding of the necessity to take these kinds of measures in the waters around Europe. We anticipate that the requirement of the directive will be met at least in part through the delivery of our commitments under the birds and habitats directives and through the domestic legislation of the marine conservation zones, which we are introducing through the Bill. We are working with the grain of the European position.