§ [No. 4]
§
Clause 1, page 2, line 16, at end insert—
("(3A) In exercising their functions the Agency shall have regard to the requirements of agriculture and efficient land management.")
§ Lord LOVELL-DAVISMy Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 4. Because of the special importance of agriculture to Wales, the Government thought that it would be right to make this specific reference to agriculture in the Bill; and as noble Lords will know, there is a parallel in the Scottish Bill. By reason of this subsection, those whose concern is in land can be reassured that 702 the Agency in exercising their functions will have proper regard to the preservation of good agricultural land and the adoption of good land management practices.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Lovell-Davis.)
§ Baroness WHITEMy Lords, I should like to mention that in the Scottish Bill at this point there is a further reference to the desirability of safeguarding the environment. I do not wish to pursue this matter because I raised it at earlier stages on the Bill, but I should like to say that in references to the environment the Scottish Bill is by and large far more felicitously phrased than is the Welsh one.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.