Member

Chiefly, I want to address government Amendment 68. I have received briefings from the Wildlife Trusts, the Bat Conservation Trust and the Better Planning Coalition, all of which are opposed to this government step. The respected commentator, Guy Shrubsole, writing in the Guardian last year, noted that Natural England had been undermined by austerity and was incapable of carrying out even its basic functions because of a simple lack of resources. As other noble Lords have said, local government has been heavily hit by austerity and a severe lack of resources and does not have the capacity to assess ecological issues. Another noble Lord said that Natural England is effectively already streamlining its responses, often replying in a codified way because it does not have the resources.