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Terrorism Bill

My Lords, if sometimes it appears temporarily in vain, the marvellous thing about your Lordships’ House is that we always have another chance to put things right. The Government, in my submission, have had a good chance to compare the two amendments. I believe that the speeches made in support of Amendment No. 17 have proved extremely cogent. With the greatest respect to the Minister, I do not think that she has answered them satisfactorily. That is not, of course, her fault. She made the point that she was looking for consistency in the Bill. Consistency is important in legislative drafting, but so is simplicity and so is certainty. In my submission, neither of those equally important ingredients apply to the Government’s amendments. Therefore, I would like to say to her, although I say it with great regret, that I am compelled to put the issue to your Lordships’ House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 17) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 234; Not-Contents, 134