Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, I did listen to the arguments, and it did not lessen my disappointment, because what the Conservative Front Bench has given us is the view that there should be no top restriction on red tape such as licence applications. The noble Lord does not agree with me, and I will not labour the point; I would rather turn to the Minister’s comments. The Minister said that he did not want a two-tier system, but there will be a multi-tier system. I am asking simply for recognition in legislation of the top tier. The Government are ignoring the evidence from around the world that for full benefits, you need full protection. That experiment can never take place unless you recognise it. The Minister stated that there could be changing levels of protection over time. That is exactly what I am afraid of. If you have an area that is exhibiting what Defra calls, ""a high degree of naturalness, with species and habitats … still in a very natural state as a result of the lack of human-induced disturbance or degradation"," a changing level of protection over time could only mean a lessening level of protection. In other areas, it might mean that the damage occurs first, and then you protect it later. In some areas—