One would hope not. The point is that the Court struck down section 44 on its face— not as it was applied, not given the circumstances of the case and how it was operated, but on its face. That seems to be a very clear judgment, and I would be...

One would hope not. The point is that the Court struck down section 44 on its face— not as it was applied, not given the circumstances of the case and how it was operated, but on its face. That seems to be a very clear judgment, and I would be...

As the hon. Members for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) and for Stroud (Mr. Drew) said, I have been directly involved in these issues for quite a long time. I should say right at the start that although I am still critical of the position that the police sometimes take, and of...

As the hon. Members for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) and for Stroud (Mr. Drew) said, I have been directly involved in these issues for quite a long time. I should say right at the start that although I am still critical of the position that the police sometimes take, and of...

Yes, I have always wondered what an impossible wasp would be. Although the situation has now moved on, things did not improve to begin with. The hon. Member for Hendon said that I was involved in trying to bring the protesters and the police together for a meeting the day...

Yes, I have always wondered what an impossible wasp would be. Although the situation has now moved on, things did not improve to begin with. The hon. Member for Hendon said that I was involved in trying to bring the protesters and the police together for a meeting the day...

Obviously, we must listen to the police when they talk about what powers they feel they need, but we must go back to what the hon. Member for Hendon said, which I think my hon. Friend agrees with, about the key point being that the powers should be narrowly drawn....

Obviously, we must listen to the police when they talk about what powers they feel they need, but we must go back to what the hon. Member for Hendon said, which I think my hon. Friend agrees with, about the key point being that the powers should be narrowly drawn....

I am sure that what we do not need is a system of directly elected sheriffs, which would mean that we were in great danger of breaking up something very important in our constitutional policing structure—the fact that operational decisions about who should or should not be arrested remain with...

I am sure that what we do not need is a system of directly elected sheriffs, which would mean that we were in great danger of breaking up something very important in our constitutional policing structure—the fact that operational decisions about who should or should not be arrested remain with...

Can I just finish the point? I do not want to break off without saying what the improvements have been. First, we have had the report from Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary, which clearly moves in the direction of saying that the right to peaceful protest—not technically lawful protest—should lie...

Can I just finish the point? I do not want to break off without saying what the improvements have been. First, we have had the report from Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary, which clearly moves in the direction of saying that the right to peaceful protest—not technically lawful protest—should lie...

On the Committee's report, there are still points at issue between the Government and the Committee. The hon. Member for Hendon was right to start and end with the communication and dialogue between the police and the protesters. I am not sure about the police, but the Government have not...

On the Committee's report, there are still points at issue between the Government and the Committee. The hon. Member for Hendon was right to start and end with the communication and dialogue between the police and the protesters. I am not sure about the police, but the Government have not...

Yes; I agree on both those points. The appointment of Sir Hugh Orde is an excellent one, and I look forward to a great deal of progress under his leadership. The hon. Member for Hendon mentioned kettling—or containment, depending on which side of the issue one is on. One of...

Yes; I agree on both those points. The appointment of Sir Hugh Orde is an excellent one, and I look forward to a great deal of progress under his leadership. The hon. Member for Hendon mentioned kettling—or containment, depending on which side of the issue one is on. One of...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

I think it was wasp stings. I put it on the record that I accepted at the time and still accept that apology. The circumstances in which the hon. Member for Gedling came to make that statement have never been clarified entirely, but I accept that it was unlikely to...

I think it was wasp stings. I put it on the record that I accepted at the time and still accept that apology. The circumstances in which the hon. Member for Gedling came to make that statement have never been clarified entirely, but I accept that it was unlikely to...

The point I was trying to get across was the Joint Committee's original point. It was a criticism not of what police said to the media in briefings, but of what action the police took to calm the situation having seen what the media made of those briefings.

The point I was trying to get across was the Joint Committee's original point. It was a criticism not of what police said to the media in briefings, but of what action the police took to calm the situation having seen what the media made of those briefings.

I am sorry that my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon can no longer be here because he has a particular interest in this proposal. If he were here, I am sure he would ask the Minister whether by "gratuitous insults" she means somebody deliberately and intentionally...

I am sorry that my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon can no longer be here because he has a particular interest in this proposal. If he were here, I am sure he would ask the Minister whether by "gratuitous insults" she means somebody deliberately and intentionally...

The problem, as I observed it in the G20 situation, was that both police and protesters assumed that any contact with the other side would reveal information to the other side, in some kind of tactical battle in which the police's main objective appeared to the protesters to be to...

The problem, as I observed it in the G20 situation, was that both police and protesters assumed that any contact with the other side would reveal information to the other side, in some kind of tactical battle in which the police's main objective appeared to the protesters to be to...

I would like to add another observation that I have made over the past few years about trust breaking down. The Minister referred to situations in which the police communicate perfectly well with demonstrators, but those tend to be traditional processions where the police understand what the demonstrators are up...

I would like to add another observation that I have made over the past few years about trust breaking down. The Minister referred to situations in which the police communicate perfectly well with demonstrators, but those tend to be traditional processions where the police understand what the demonstrators are up...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on introducing this important debate. I will be interested to hear what the Minister has to say, but I cannot see why the Government are against simply introducing into the rules a reference to when article 11 rights are engaged. The courts would understand that,...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on introducing this important debate. I will be interested to hear what the Minister has to say, but I cannot see why the Government are against simply introducing into the rules a reference to when article 11 rights are engaged. The courts would understand that,...

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, especially in light of the fact that the Government previously explained their failure to make progress on the issue by saying that they needed time to ensure proper parliamentary scrutiny, which they then proceeded to prevent.

The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, especially in light of the fact that the Government previously explained their failure to make progress on the issue by saying that they needed time to ensure proper parliamentary scrutiny, which they then proceeded to prevent.