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Police and Justice Bill

My Lords, would new Section 83A of the Extradition Act, were it to come into force on the passing of the Bill with which we are now concerned, require an amendment of the treaty or not? The noble Lord, Lord Goodhart, seems to have changed his mind on this. I was of the view that it would probably require an amendment to the treaty, which was one reason why I would be against the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Goodhart. I have other reasons, however, which were given by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Boyd of Duncansby, on the last occasion. I do not know whether the noble and learned Lord intends to speak today, but he made an extremely powerful case against the form of the amendment. As we all know, it will almost certainly lead to further delay and complications, which it has been our object for at least 30 years to try to avoid in extradition proceedings.