Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, that is absolutely right. We hope that that will obtain in the vast majority of cases. I am just anticipating circumstances where it is felt that the marine plan has not been sensitive enough to a local position or where the consensus has been established that what is suggested in the marine plan conflicts with other views. I am merely indicating, within that framework, that the issue of the seascape could provide an important part of the necessary discussion. The noble Lord is right: this is to reflect what we hope will be a minority of positions where the marine plan has not evolved on the basis of a sufficient consensus to have taken those factors into account and obviated the anxieties that he identified. The nature conservation mechanism has been designed to address scientific evidence rather than what we are discussing here, which are more subjective and esoteric considerations of the aesthetic value of our seas. I am not denying the importance of the concept, but merely seeking to indicate—I am sure that all parts of the House appreciate this—that it is more difficult for us to give categorical evaluation with regard to scientific evidence on certain parts of the development of marine plans. This is a more difficult concept to wrestle with. That is why we I am seeking to identify that the Government have been persuaded of the importance of this issue. We will take these factors into account. We do not expect marine plans to evolve without consideration of this matter and we have agencies that will advance the cause, but the marine planning system is a powerful tool. It will certainly provide the protection that noble Lords are seeking through this amendment, but we cannot constrain the planners quite in the way that the amendment suggests by attempting a definition on the face of the Bill which, at the present time, still lacks a unifying consensus and raises difficult issues. I hope that the Government will be given credit for wrestling with the issue and making progress and that the noble Baroness will feel that that is a basis on which she can withdraw her amendment. I hope that my noble friend Lord Howarth agrees with her.