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Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Bill [Lords]

I share my hon. Friend's concern. He said that it is probing amendment, but of course, in the context of the Bill, which comes from the House of Lords and is now in its final stages, the Minister's answer will have to be definitive; otherwise, it will not be a probing amendment and it will be made very rapidly. Having said that, the measure seems extraordinary, because clause 4(2) states:""Section 2(2) applies to assistance, encouragement and inducements in the United Kingdom or elsewhere"" and clause 4(3) confines the application to conduct that arises under clause 2(1)""and to assistance, encouragement and inducements"" that arise under clause 2(2). However, "conduct" arises only in respect of clause 2(1) and the other matters—""assistance, encouragement and inducements"—" apply only respect of clause 2(2). We are often accused—particularly those of us who are lawyers—of being rather pedantic, but the truth is that legislation is about law. I am not suggesting that the Minister would do this in the context of the debate, but it would seem rather absurd to accuse us of being either pedantic or pernickety when we draw attention to inconsistencies. There are strange aspects to the Bill, and given its object, I concur with what my hon. Friend said. I look forward to both an explanation and a definitive answer from the Minister, because we are in the later stages of our consideration of the Bill, and what he says may determine what we do after Committee.