Commentary on Sections Indicative annual ranges Section 12: Duty to provide indicative annual ranges for net UK carbon account
69.This section places a duty on the Secretary of State to lay a report before Parliament setting out an “indicative annual range” for the net UK carbon account for each year of a budgetary period. This section aims to enhance the transparency regarding progress within each budgetary period, so that Parliament is clear about performance towards meeting the budget each year.
70.Subsection (2) defines an “indicative annual range” as the range within which the Secretary of State expects the amount of the net UK carbon account for the year in question to fall.
71.Subsection (3) places the Secretary of State under a duty to consult the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers and the relevant Northern Ireland department in relation to the indicative annual ranges set out in the report. Subsection (4) requires the Secretary of State to send a copy of the report to each of the devolved administrations.