Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, on the last point, my amendment concerns representatives of local authorities. The marine policy statement is the basis for the marine plan, which is why I felt that it was important to raise it in the context of recognising the points in Schedule 6. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Taylor. The first of my amendments is merely about eligibility. It is not about delegation. If the MMO sought to delegate a function to an entirely inappropriate, completely landlocked local authority, I do not think that the local authority would accept the delegation. The Minister criticised my first amendment because it would apply to all local authorities. He hinted that perhaps I should have said "coastal" local authorities. But if the Government had wanted coastal local authorities in this list of eligible bodies, they could have said so, they would have said so and they should have said so. I do not think that we got enough exercise the last time we attempted to divide, so on this occasion I will test the opinion of the House. Division on Amendment 39 Contents 112; Not-Contents 130. Amendment 39 disagreed.