Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, I am most grateful to noble Lords for their general welcome of the amendments, which, as I said, reflect the fact that the Government have listened to the points of concern raised. We will talk about the definition of ecologically coherent zones when we come to the next group, so I will not comment on that now. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Eden, for his remarks. He spoke passionately in Committee about the need for protection and, in bringing forward the example of sea horses, he provides a clear illustration of why this legislation is required. Obviously, we will have to consider all these matters on a case-by-case basis, but he was right to draw our attention to that example, which reinforces the importance of this Bill and the need for us to get it on the statute book to ensure that we have proper protection of the marine environment in the overall context of sustainable development. I am always cautious about commenting on what other European states think of what we are doing. The Bill is about a national commitment to develop a network, but all member states are bound by the marine strategy framework directive. We played a major part in negotiations on that directive, which provides for the formation of a network of protected areas, so clearly what we are doing is consistent with it. However, I think I can go further by saying that there is a very great deal of interest in many European countries about the proposal and the progress that we are making. I know that my right honourable friends in another place, the Ministers in my department who lead on these areas, are in frequent discussion with their ministerial colleagues in other European countries about these matters. I reassure the noble Lord, Lord Bridges, that a draft response is available. Alas, it has not quite reached me but it will very soon. The matter has been discussed with the MoD. The wreck believed to be HMS "Victory" has in fact not been sold to Odyssey Marine Exploration, but I will correspond with the noble Lord in more detail on that. I understand the points that he raised. He knows that we discussed marine archaeology during our previous day on Report, and I thought that we reached a very satisfactory conclusion. I very much welcome the support of the noble Lord, Lord Livsey, for these amendments. Ramsar sites are very important, being wetlands of international importance. Their protection, which is the point that the noble Lord was really referring to, is secured through underpinning SSSI notifications. A small number of Ramsar sites extend beyond the mean low-water mark. SSSIs receive protection through duties placed on local owners and occupiers, as well as on public authorities and statutory undertakers. These notifications set out specific operations which are considered likely to damage a site, and owners and occupiers are required to notify Natural England before carrying out those operations. Natural England also has the power to serve a management notice on an owner or occupier, requiring them to take reasonable measures to ensure that the land is managed in accordance with a management scheme for the site. I appreciated the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Wallace, too, and I think that overall we have reached a very satisfactory outcome on this issue. Amendment 113A agreed.