---

Terrorism Bill

My Lords, the debate this afternoon has surely demonstrated that the concept of recklessness is unclear. I listened very carefully to the rather rapid-fire speech with which the Minister introduced the debate. As I recall, she said that we would all agree that those who ““knew that they were likely to encourage terrorism should be caught by the provisions of the Bill””. As I understand it, the noble Baroness was trying to explain what was meant by the concept of recklessness. If that is what she means by recklessness, why not put those words into the Bill rather than the much vaguer word ““recklessness””? This is a very sensitive Bill; it could be interpreted by the courts in very sensitive ways. If the Minister means by ““recklessness”” that people knew they were likely to encourage terrorism, why not state it in those terms, which are much clearer, more precise and easier for the courts to interpret?