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The Earl of Caithness (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 15 September 2025

Debate

Planning and Infrastructure Bill

Contribution

My Lords, I have put my name to the amendments in the name of my noble friend Lady Coffey, who made an excellent speech trying to persuade the Government to take out Natural England and put in the Secretary of State. As I said on the last group of amendments, Natural England has become unaccountable and unquestionable. It is also acting as judge and jury in its own right. If you google Natural England, you come to the GOV.UK website. Under “What we do”, it says: “We’re the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England”. If it is the adviser, then it is the Secretary of State who should be totally accountable, as well as the Minister in this House, whom we can question. At the moment, we cannot question Natural England in the way that we can question Ministers. I think that is entirely wrong, and I hope the Government will agree.

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