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Terrorism Bill

I hate to disappoint the noble Lord but it is to me that the Committee will have to listen on this very worthwhile amendment which my briefing note says we have to resist. I appreciate, as ever, the noble Lord’s style in moving the amendment. I greatly admire my noble friend Lady Scotland and have enjoyed working alongside her. She has done a brilliant job on this Bill and the Identity Cards Bill, and I know that everybody shares that view. This is the final amendment. Paragraph 2(2) in Schedule 2, which is concerned with seizure of terrorist publications, says that a seizure notice must set out,"““what has been seized and the grounds of the seizure””." The amendment would change the word ““of”” to ““for””. In our opinion, that would make absolutely no difference. As a matter of law and of correct English, both terms are correct. Nor do I think that one option, rather than the other, would enhance the clarity of the Bill. The noble Lord, Lord Elton, takes the Conservative Whip, so I am sure he will be familiar with one of the great Conservative quotations in history. It was Lucius Cary, the second Viscount Falkland, who in 1641 said:"““When it is not necessary to change, it is necessary not to change.””" I suggest that that would be a useful philosophy to adopt on this occasion. I hope, having heard that, that the noble Lord will withdraw the amendment.