Member

I appreciate that the intention of the amendment is to clarify the scope of ministerial discretion in the event of national emergencies or other disruptions. My view is that the current wording is clear and already captures the intended meaning. “Exceptional circumstances” is a well-understood term. The current wording underlines the exceptionally high bar envisaged for the circumstances that must arise and persist in order for the Government to delay an update to a national policy statement. To make things clear, I can provide the Committee with two examples of circumstances that would be recognised as exceptional, justifying the use of this narrow exemption. The first is the suspension of Parliament, which could be due to the calling of a general election. The second is the outbreak of a pandemic.