Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)

My Lords, in a country as small and as precious as ours, every acre of land must be put to best and most fitting use. Housing, regeneration and protection of the natural environment are not discrete issues but facets of the same question: how do we steward the land of England wisely for this generation and those to come? Amendments 222 and 224 from my noble friend Lady Hodgson of Abinger go to the heart of this Bill. Our policy is clear: we support brownfield development, oppose greenfield development and will protect the green belt. In our 2024 manifesto, we made that commitment to fast-track brownfield development in all our cities. Optimising land use is the essence of the matter. Optimising means not only building more homes but building them in the right places, at the right density and with the right protections for our natural inheritance. It means preserving the chalk streams, unlocking urban sites through readjustment and holding to a national framework that ensures consistency and foresight. It means delivering the brownfield renaissance we have promised and speaking plainly about what role the tax system can play. I look forward to the Minister’s reply on this debate but, due to the lateness of the hour, I certainly have not had the opportunity to say all I wanted to on this important group of amendments. I think there are other Members who feel exactly the same, so I will be bringing this debate back on Report. Before I sit down—and with the Committee’s agreement—I would just like to say a very big thank you and put on record my thanks to all the staff across the House who have stayed until what will be nearly 4 am by the time they go home. I really appreciate it, and I am sure all my side appreciate it as well.