Marine and Coastal Access Bill [HL]

My Lords, I support the amendment of the noble Baroness, Lady Miller of Chilthorne Domer. I apologise to the House; I thought my name was on this amendment but it is not, so obviously I have not gone through the right channels, probably in my enthusiasm to get all the information I could before I stood up. The noble Baroness has more than likely covered everything that needs to be said, which restrains me from becoming too emotional about the entire subject. That said, I shall still remind noble Lords, anyone who is listening from the Gallery or on the radio, and anyone here today who is writing for the news, what we are talking about. The Crown Estate is answerable only to the Treasury and controls 55 per cent of our coastline. These regulating orders are ancient; they have been given out over 100 years. It is their choice that they do not charge fishermen for a licence to grow shellfish in these areas. They would have been happy to pay had it been asked for. The Treasury now insists that the maximum value is taken for these areas. People who have been fishing for many years, building up delicate oyster and mussel beds—it takes a very long time—are now told that their order has been withdrawn and there is no appeal. This is supposed to be a democracy, the Mother of all Parliaments; this is supposed to be the place where you really can stand up and object. But to this alone you cannot object. I know for a fact that Ministers are afraid of the Treasury. Well, I stand on the Back Benches today in opposition; we are not at this moment Her Majesty's Government and, therefore, I can say these things. I have no doubt that my Front Bench cannot support me, because they, too, would be afraid to worry the Treasury. It cannot be right or fair that people in this country cannot earn their living, cannot grow their food and cannot appeal against it. I support the amendment, and hope that the Minister on his birthday will give us a wonderful present.