Member

The second part of my amendment relates to the regulators. I am grateful that the Minister has moved quite a lot, to echo the words of the noble Baroness, Lady Willis of Summertown. There has been movement. The Government have tabled Amendment 48 in relation to Ofwat having regard to the need to contribute to the goals of the Climate Change Act and the Environment Act. I had a quick look at the Environment Act. From what I could see, it does address biodiversity and woodland cover. This is a significant and welcome move forward, but I have tabled the second part of my amendment again so that the Minister can, I hope, go further and set out the importance of nature-based solutions from a regulator’s point of view, and that if a company wishes to explore these solutions, it will be given the freedom to do so and not be penalised.