Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill

Debate between Lord Benyon and Lord Clarke of Nottingham

Committee stage
Tuesday 28th February 2023 Lords Chamber

[Lord Benyon (Con)]

I thank the noble Baroness and my noble friend for those remarks. We will be providing a clear list of regulations in due course, but we are working through them, and I make no apology: we want to get it right and we have a lot of work to do on that front.

[Lord Clarke of Nottingham (Con)]

Will it be in on the face of the Bill and put into law, so that we have protection against future Governments setting some rather less high standards?

[Lord Benyon (Con)]

I just say to my noble friend that the direction of travel of this and future Parliaments that will be elected over the coming years will not be for a reduction of these things. There is a yearning in this country for higher environmental standards. People will not put up with politicians of any party who seek to remove them. We should take comfort that the direction of travel that this Government have taken through the Environment Act, the environmental improvement plan, the 25-year environment plan we are promoting and what we are doing on water is just the starter course. For a main course, we will continue to see environmental standards improve in future.

[Lord Clarke of Nottingham (Con)]

The argument is that it may not be necessary, because the Minister is confident that we are going in that direction. Why is that an argument against being absolutely reassuring by putting it on the face of the Bill, so that if an extraordinary, strange Government of protest emerged—some President Trump-type Government—they would have to go through the proper parliamentary and legal procedure before disappointing me and my noble friend?

[Lord Benyon (Con)]

Because if it is in the Bill, you cannot improve it, as has been said in very eloquent terms—