Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, I move this amendment on behalf of my noble friend Lord Taylor of Holbeach. Clause 78 takes us into a strange field. It says that "nothing in this Part"—which I take to mean the section on the permitting or granting of licences— ""applies to anything done in the course of laying or maintaining an offshore … cable"," and that the, ""authority must grant any application"" once it comes inshore. What is the position currently if the Scottish Government exercise their power to place a wind farm or a wave generator in the offshore area and then want to lay a cable to the shore? Surely, at the moment, there are powers that allow that to happen. The Minister will be aware that power over interconnectors was devolved to Scotland a little while ago. Does the definition of an interconnector not extend to the Scottish offshore area? How will this measure interact with that provision? The current wording of subsection (2) states that the authority, ""must grant any application … for the carrying on of a licensable marine activity"." At this stage none of us can know what might be argued as falling within that description. The inshore area is likely to be an area with great sensitivity to disruption or degradation. Possible routes for the cable might be various within the area, or they might be better in a neighbouring area. So the phrase "must grant" is too rigid a power to place in the hands of what will really be the developer, let alone anyone else. I would be glad to hear the Minister defend this term.