Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am tempted to start quoting from the Bible about the sinner that repenteth but, as there are no right reverend Prelates here to get it right for me, I shall not pursue it any further. I want to say two or three very quick things about the amendment. First, generally, I thought my noble friend Lady Miller was a little dismissive about the bits of paper that the Government have sent round to us. I think that the latest mailing we have had from the Government on marine conservation zones is extremely helpful and shows how far and how quickly the thinking and work is progressing. We received the latest version of the draft strategy on Delivering Marine Conservation Zones and European Marine Sites and the draft guidance on Selection and Designation of Marine Conservation Zones (Note 1)—one in a series of how many, I wonder. The fact that we have received these in time for Report stage here and that they will be available before the whole of the debate in the House of Commons is extremely useful. Those who have obviously been putting in a large amount of work in producing all this documentation and those who are carrying out work on the ground and in the sea are to be commended. Secondly, the Government seem to be implying in their briefings that there is not much difference between us. They are saying that there will be a spectrum of marine conservation zones—or perhaps a kaleidoscope of them—which will all have their own individual regimes, rules and regulations and will be different in each case. Some of them will be highly protected at one end and some will be protected for only one purpose at the other end. We understand that. However, the reason there should be a small number of special zones is partly symbolic and partly a declaration that there are some areas where, no matter what people put forward and what they argue, the answer is no. They are special areas, based on the science and on the facts, and are qualitatively different from all other zones, which will be bespoke in the sense that their regimes will vary based on what is in them. There will be relatively few special places where the regime is absolute, and that is the difference of opinion between us. I think that difference will run to the end of the Bill, and I hope that the Government will find ways of moving on this. They say that they do not want a two-tier system; we are not talking about a two-tier system. Having a relatively few special areas will not in any way detract from whatever regime there may be in all the other areas. The argument that if you have these special areas everyone will think that it is open house to do anything they want anywhere else does not stand up at all.