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Counter-Terrorism Bill

My Lords, I support the amendment. I admit that at Third Reading I voted against it because I am particularly keen to see a coroners Bill that is all-embracing and sweeps up a large number of other issues that I hope will be in it, such as matters affecting the Armed Forces and matters affecting those in custody, the families of whom have to wait far too long for a bereavement to be closed. In the debate in the other place, however, I was very taken with the clarity of the arguments that were put forward and which have been quoted by the noble Baroness, Lady Miller. Since then I have spoken to the solicitors involved in this case, who have been quoted both in this House and in the other place, who told me of the promises that have been made to them by the Government, stretching back to November 2007, that the case on which the many arguments have been based would be brought to a speedy solution. Nothing has happened. We have delays on the movement of government promises quite apart from the procedures in the Bill. I am satisfied in my own mind, if that does not sound arrogant, that the changes made to the amendment since it was last brought before us have advanced the issue a great deal further. I therefore hope that this time the Government will agree to the amendment in its present form, acknowledging that in the Bill’s further passage there will always be improvements that can be made to it to satisfy points such as the one raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Miller.