Climate Change Bill devalued

12.00.00am GMT Tue 27th Feb 2007

Edinburgh South Lib Dem Spokesperson Fred Mackintosh has attacked the shambles of Labour's proposed climate change bill now reduced to a draft bill.

Reports from parliament suggest that the long-awaited bill on climate change had been downgraded by the government. The measure is to be published next month as a draft bill for consultation with the public and possibly by a joint committee of both Houses rather than as a fully fledged piece of legislation. Fred Mackintosh said:

"This is not just a climbdown but a total shambles. The climate change bill should contain annual targets for cutting carbon emissions so that the government's efforts could be assessed, and an independent scientific body would report each year on progress."