With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: new clause 5 —Abstraction reform—
‘(1) The Secretary of State shall by regulations make provision to introduce a reformed abstraction regime.
(2) An abstraction regime under subsection (1) must—
(a) be resilient to the challenges of climate change;
(b) be resilient to the challenges of population growth; and
(c) better protect the environment.
(3) An abstraction regime must be introduced no later than the end of the period of seven years beginning with the date on which this Act is passed.
(4) Regulations under this section—
(a) shall be made by statutory instrument; and
(b) may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of both Houses of Parliament.’.
New clause 6—Onshore oil or gas activities—effect on water environment—
‘In Part 1 of Schedule 5 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 there shall be inserted after paragraph 13 the following—
“Onshore oil or gas activities—effect on water environment
13A (1) Without prejudice to the operation of Regulation 35(2) and paragraph 5(1)(d) of Schedule 10 and of Regulation 35(2) and paragraph 7(j) of Schedule 20, the regulator shall refuse an application for the grant or variation of an environmental permit or for the transfer in whole or in part of an environmental permit if—
(a) the regulated facility to which the application for or transfer of the environmental permit relates is to be carried on as part of an onshore oil or gas activity; and
(b) the regulator is not satisfied that the applicant or the proposed transferee has made or will make adequate financial provision for preventing or mitigating pollution of the water environment, by ensuring all of the following—
(i) operation of the regulated facility in accordance with the environmental permit;
(ii) compliance with any enforcement notice or suspension notice or prohibition notice or mining waste facility closure notice or landfill closure notice which may be served on the applicant or transferee by the regulator under these Regulations;
(iii) compliance with any order of the High Court which may be obtained against the applicant or transferee under Regulation 42 for the purpose of securing compliance with any of the notices listed in sub-paragraph (ii).
(iv) compliance with any order of any court issued under Regulation 44 against the applicant or transferee; and
(v) recovery by the regulator of its costs upon any exercise of its power against the applicant or transferee under Regulation 57;
(c) for the purpose of this paragraph ‘onshore oil or gas activity’ means any activity for the purpose of exploration for or extraction of onshore oil and gas;
(d) for the purpose of this paragraph ‘adequate provision by way of financial security’ means financial provision which is sufficient in value, secure and available when required.”.’.
New clause 13—Unlawful communications—
‘(1) Section 109 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (sewerage: unlawful communication with public sewer) is amended as follows.
(2) Omit subsection (1)(b).
(3) In subsection (2)(a) after “close”, insert “or redirect”.
(4) In subsection (2)(b) omit “from the offender”.
(5) At the end add—
“(4) The expenses are recoverable from—
(a) the offender; or
(b) the owner of the drain or sewer.
(5) A person who obstructs a sewerage undertaker in exercising a power under subsection (2)(a)—
(a) commits an offence; and
(b) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.”.’.
Amendment 2, in clause 21, page 62, line 19, after ‘undertakers’, insert ‘and highway authorities’.
Amendment 3, page 62, line 22, after ‘undertaker’, insert ‘or a highway authority’.
Amendment 1, page 62, line 23, at end insert—
‘(2A) Highways authorities must include in schemes for the construction of new roads, drainage systems with a specification designed to decrease the risk of flooding of public sewerage systems.’.
Government amendments 55 to 57.
Amendment 5, clause 51, page 107, line 5, after ‘premises’, insert ‘and small businesses’.
Amendment 6, page 107, line 7, after ‘premises’, insert ‘and small businesses’.
Amendment 8, clause 53, page 107, line 37, after ‘made’, insert
‘which shall include the occurrence of a 1 in 200 year loss scenario’.
Government amendment 58.
Amendment 7, clause 69, page 119, line 37, at end insert ‘“small businesses”.’.
Amendment 10, clause 80, page 124, line 1, at end insert—
‘(f) section [Sustainable drainage and automatic right to connect].’.
Amendment 11, page 124, line 1, at end insert—
‘(g) section [Abstraction reform].’.