Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, there is some support around the House regarding the fact that the noble Baroness, Lady Young, has raised this issue as a potential Achilles heel for marine conservation zones. The Minister will no doubt say that it is a developing area and that the noble Baroness quoted from one set of guidance. I have the draft guidance on the selection and designation of marine conservation zones. Paragraph 5.14 states: ""Where areas contain features which are rare, threatened or declining, or form biodiversity hotspots, ecological considerations are likely to carry greater weight in considering the area’s suitability for designation"." Given all those features—"rare, threatened or declining"—the ecological considerations should carry greater weight. I feel that this Achilles heel still exists and might damage the very concept of marine conservation zones. I am very grateful to the noble Baroness for enabling us to have this discussion and for giving the Minister an opportunity to say where the Government sit on this issue.