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Criminal Law (Amendment) (Protection of Property) Bill

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for clarifying his position. The position of the Association of Chief Police Officers has not changed since the hon. Member for Newark introduced his Bill. When the leaflet that I mentioned was launched, Chris Fox, the then ACPO chair, said:"““We want everyone to clearly understand that they can use force to protect themselves or others. The force used should be reasonable force.””" Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan police commissioner, gave his support to the ACPO position after the problems that he had had on the ““Today”” programme on his first day. The Metropolitan police have since indicated that that remains their position. We already know that the Director of Public Prosecutions is of the same view. Mr. Anthony Scrivener QC, who was Tony Martin’s barrister, has said on several occasions that he believes that the law is right. On 14 December 2004r, he said in the Eastern Daily Press:"““The law is simple and weighted overwhelmingly in favour of the householder.””" On 15 December 2004, The Times quoted him as saying:"““Even if the suggested test of grossly disproportionate force had been used it is likely that the jury would still have convicted.””" He went on to say:"““The law is quite right to favour the use of force against them””—" the intruders—"““in such a situation, as it already does””."