My Lords, it is a pleasure to begin the next group of amendments. I shall move Amendment 14 and speak to Amendments 15 and 17 in my name. In doing so, I draw attention to my technology interests as set out in the register. I also had a Private Member’s Bill, the Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill, in the last Session.
We have already covered a wide range of incredibly important issues pertaining to the activities and operations of the Crown Estate. I gently and delicately suggest that Amendment 14 goes to perhaps the most significant issue that we could consider: the protection of the seabed around the United Kingdom. It is not an asset, nor a funding decision or a piece of plant or machinery, but the very bedrock of the ocean—one of the most important parts of our planet. There are currently practices, business and otherwise, carried on daily that temporarily and permanently damage the seabed. If such activities were taking place on the Crown Estate’s lands—for example, stripping away all the topsoil or taking away all the foundations of the buildings—it would of course not be permitted and be swiftly stopped, so why can the seabed which comes under the custody of the Crown Estate be so abused? Again, it is not an asset or a property, or a piece of land, but Poseidon’s pastures, and we must take this opportunity to protect them.
Amendment 15 sets out some objectives for the Crown Estate, not least around the potential role it could play with innovation and new technologies such as artificial intelligence. We have already seen in so many ways this afternoon the unique role and position the Crown Estate occupies. It seems only right and proper to take the opportunity for the Crown Estate to play a key role in the development of these technologies. These technologies in our human hands, and which are human led, will be the deliverers of growth we so need in this nation at any time, but especially in this time.
Similarly, the Crown Estate should have an objective around food security if we consider the carbon miles and the cost to the planet of importing foods from around the world. It is worth taking a moment to give more than a congratulatory nod to the Netherlands, which is the second largest exporter of food stuffs—not in Europe but in the world. It got to that position because it intended it, willed it and brought it into being, largely with similar soils, outlook and climate to the United Kingdom. Due to the carbon miles and the geopolitical situation we find ourselves in and will certainly find ourselves in going forward, the Crown Estate could play a key role partnering around the whole issue of food security.
Amendment 17 deals with nature prescribing and the positive impact that could have across our society. We are currently suffering a mental well-being epidemic in this nation—a nation which has some of the most spectacular woodland and stunning shoreline on the planet. It would be positive if the Crown Estate could partner with other agencies and work with NHS England and the bodies in the devolved nations to come up with a major UK-wide nature prescribing programme for the benefit of all of us. It would put those natural assets to such a positive use, with relatively no cost involved.
Amendments 14, 15 and 17 are about protecting the seabed, our population, mental well-being, and putting positive objectives forward for the future. I look forward to the Minister’s response. I beg to move.