Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for his reply and to other noble Lords and the noble Baroness, Lady Carnegy of Lour, who have taken part. The noble Duke, the Duke of Montrose, made a number of important points, not least about the birds and habitats directive. As we heard, there is currently a discussion about trying to make sure that that is extended by way of executive devolution. I rather thought, when the Minister was considering coal, that the idea of tunnelling out to 12 miles plus would challenge, but, as he said, one never knows quite where technology will take us in generations to come. The noble Baroness, Lady Carnegy, made the important point that decisions regarding the oil and gas extraction industry are made here and, therefore, the decision regarding biodiversity ought to be made here as well. Indeed, the purpose of one of the alternative amendments I put down was that it would be this Parliament that would legislate for it and it would come under the same legislature. I recognise that a settlement has been made with the devolved Administrations. Although I was minded to push this matter further, I was certainly encouraged by what the Minister said in his reply—specifically the point he made in winding up, that if the biodiversity duty set out in these amendments were to be incorporated in a marine plan in relation to marine conservation zones, the Government would look favourably on them. In many respects, that puts the ball into the court of Scottish Ministers. I do not want to underestimate the significance of what the Minister said. It was helpful, and in those circumstances I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 84A withdrawn. Amendment 84B not moved.