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Mr. Forth: Does my hon. Friend agree that the little friendly exchanges that we have on Fridays illustrate the value of such debates? It is important that amendments are tabled and debates are held on Report so that we can all learn, as well as make good law.
Mr. Chope: My starting point was believing that the Bill was about climate change. As I understood it, the way of avoiding climate change—
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order. The hon. Gentleman is supposed to be winding up the debate on new clause 3. Perhaps he would do that.
Mr. Chope: I will. I was simply following on from my helpful exchange with the Minister because I was told that microgeneration was not necessarily renewable and did not therefore necessarily contribute to a reduction in climate change. That puts a different perspective on a Bill that includes climate change in its title. All its important provisions apparently refer to renewables—
Madam Deputy Speaker: Order. The new clause deals with the need for an annual report to Parliament. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will conclude the debate on that.
Mr. Chope: Absolutely, Madam Deputy Speaker. It has become clear that the new clause has a fault line. It refers to microgeneration but not to renewables. It also refers to nuclear energy and fossil fuels. I admit that when I drafted it, without the benefit of Government drafting advice or that of my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst, I omitted to acknowledge that microgeneration and renewables are two different concepts and that the former, as I now understand it, is irrelevant to climate change and global warming. On that basis, it would be better to ascertain whether I could draft the new clause better.
However, I am grateful to the Minister for offering to write to me about the interconnector, and to all those who have made constructive alternative suggestions. I am also pleased that I tabled the new clause. If I had not, I would have remained under the illusion that microgeneration contributed significantly to reducing climate change, when it obviously does not. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.
Motion and clause, by leave, withdrawn.
10 Mar 2006 : Column 1089
'(1) The Secretary of State—
(a) must, not later than 12 months after this section comes into force, publish an energy measures report, and
(b) may from time to time publish revised energy measures reports.
(2) Every local authority must, in exercising any of their functions, have regard to the most recently published energy measures report (if any).
(3) In this section, "energy measures report" means a document containing information on local authority measures which would or might in the opinion of the Secretary of State have any of the following effects—
(a) improving efficiency in the use of electricity, heat, gas, fuel and other descriptions or sources of energy;
(b) increasing the amount of electricity generated, or heat produced, by microgeneration or otherwise by plant which relies wholly or mainly on low-emissions sources or technologies;
(c) reducing emissions of greenhouse gases;
(d) reducing the number of households in which one or more persons are living in fuel poverty.
(4) In subsection (3)—
"local authority measure" means any way in which a local authority can exercise any of their functions, including—
(a) taking any particular step in the exercise of a function, or
(b) not exercising a particular power;
"low-emissions source or technology" means a source of energy or a technology mentioned in subsection (2) of section 23.
(5) Before publishing an energy measures report (or a revised energy measures report), the Secretary of State must consult the National Assembly for Wales and—
(a) such representatives of local government, and
(b) such other persons (if any),
as he considers appropriate.
(6) In this section, "local authority" means any of the following—
(a) a county council;
(b) a county borough council;
(c) a district council;
(d) a London borough council;
(e) the Common Council of the City of London in their capacity as a local authority;
(f) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;
(g) a parish council;
(h) a community council.'.—[Malcolm Wicks.]
Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.
'(1) After section 35 of the Building Act 1984 (c. 55) insert—
"35A Time limit for prosecution for contravention of certain building regulations
10 Mar 2006 : Column 1090
(1) Despite anything in section 127(1) of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 (c. 43), an information relating to a relevant offence may be tried by a magistrates' court if it is laid at any time—
(a) within the period of two years beginning with the day on which the offence was committed, and
(b) within the period of six months beginning with the relevant date.
(2) In subsection (1) above, "relevant offence" means a contravention of a provision contained in building regulations which is designated in the regulations as one to which this section applies.
(3) A provision may be designated under subsection (2) above if, and only if—
(a) it was made—
(i) for the purpose of furthering the conservation of fuel and power or otherwise in connection with the use of fuel and power, or
(ii) for the purpose of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (within the meaning of the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006), and
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