Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am most grateful to my noble friend the Minister, who is the most adept of politicians, Ministers and friends. I am also grateful to the House for its tolerance. I will of course be brief. Yes, we recognise that there are definitional difficulties. There are definitional difficulties in defining an area of outstanding natural beauty, but the planning system has learnt to do that. The evolution of policy legislation and marine planning practice should lead us to a capacity to designate seascapes in due course. But I also recognise that a considerable amount of work is needed before we get to that point. It is good to know that the need for that work is being taken seriously by the relevant agencies. I was particularly appreciative of what my noble friend had to say about the marine policy statement. Developing that statement will be an evolutionary process, but when we have it, that statement will, at least for the time being, be an authoritative statement. It will be a policy that creates the context within which those responsible for the marine planning system, and decisions taken under it, will have to do their work. The assurance that the Minister has given that the high-level objectives stated in the recently published document will feed through to the marine policy statement and the indication he gave that the commitment to seascapes will be a material planning consideration give us a great deal of reassurance. On that basis, I am very grateful to the Minister and the department for the seriousness with which they are addressing this issue. This has been a valuable debate, but we should probably be content with what the Government have said this evening.