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Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer moved Amendment No. 194:
- Line 1, at beginning insert "To make further provision for, or in connection with, the protection of the water environment,"
The noble Baroness said: I tabled this change to the Title of the Bill in optimistic anticipation that the Government would accept my Amendment No. 1 on the Water Framework Directive. This amendment seeks to reflect that change. However, at this stage the Government have not chosen to accept the amendment. I believe that this small amendment gives a flavour of what we have lost by not including a wider consideration of everything that makes up the water environment, and that is a disappointment to me. I beg to move.
Baroness Byford: Again, I support the amendment of the noble Baroness, Lady Miller. We have spoken about the whole question of water use, its resource, its quality and also the role that it has in protecting the environment. That is something that we very much share. I am not sure whether the Minister will be able to accept the amendment but it is certainly something that is very dear to all our hearts. We want efficient use of water and we want to conserve water. However, at the same time, we also have a responsibility for the environment. I support the amendment.
Lord Livsey of Talgarth: I want to support my noble friend because I have spoken for most of the afternoon about this very topic. Its importance cannot be underestimated.
Lord Whitty: I note the consistent views of noble Lords on this issue. No doubt noble Lords will attempt to amend the Bill in this respect at some stage, in which case a review of the wording of the Title may be appropriate. As the Bill now stands, it is not
appropriate. If noble Lords regard that as a challenge, no doubt we shall have interesting Report and Third Reading stages of the Bill.
Baroness Byford: If the noble Lord suggests that it may be a challenge, I believe that it is one that we shall gladly accept. While the Bill has gone through its six days in Committee, many good ideas have come together. I want to record my thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Miller, to others and, in particular, to the Minister and the noble Baroness, Lady Farrington, for the way that the Bill has been handled.
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: As I rise to withdraw the amendment, I want to associate myself with the thanks both to the Ministers who have taken part and to my colleagues and other noble Lords who
have spoken. I feel a little depressed by the apparent lack of interest from the rest of the House in a Bill that concerns water. It is an extremely important and essential Bill. Perhaps noble Lords did not take on board the breadth of possibilities within the Bill and perhaps it has suffered from not being dealt with on the Floor of the House. But I hope that on Report noble Lords, besides those of us here, will take a wider interest in it. I believe that the subject merits it. In the meantime, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Bill reported with amendments.
- The Committee adjourned at nineteen minutes before eight o'clock.
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