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Compensation Bill [HL]

I am aware that the word desirable has appeared before but, as the noble Lord knows, not being a lawyer, my familiarity with how case determination happens is less than his by a long way. I am quite clear that in choosing that phrase we sought to capture but not in a way that narrows it. The word ““essential”” would not necessarily capture the kind of activities that we are seeking to deal with. I am not sure that the Girl Guides—love them as I do, and I declare my interest as an ambassador for them—would be considered essential, except by my daughter. ““Highly desirable”” also has other connotations. It is a formulation intended to capture but not in a way that would prevent the courts doing their job. Members of the Committee have expressed their various degrees of like and dislike for the phrase and I have already stated my openness on the matter. I do not want to narrow the provision in a way that would prevent us tackling the issue. That is my only concern about the wording.