Clauses 3 to 7 agreed to. Schedules 2 and 3 agreed to. Clause 8, discussed with new clause 30 (Seizure of motor vehicles: driving licence penalties), new clause 36 (Removal of prohibition on entering a private dwelling to confiscate an off-road bike), new clause 37 (Power to seize vehicles driven without licence or insurance), new clause 39 (Duty to destroy seized off-road bikes), and new clause 40 (Registration of off-road bikes). Clause 8 agreed to. Clause 9, discussed with amendments and new clause 24 (Points on driving licence for fly tipping). Two amendments negatived on division (6 votes to 11 and 2 votes to 15 respectively). Clause 9 agreed to. Clause 10, discussed with an amendment, a Government amendment, new clause 44 (Individual preparation for mass casualty attack), and clauses 10 and 11 stand part. Amendment negatived on division (4 votes to 11). Government amendment agreed to. Clause 10 agreed to, as amended. Clause 11 to 13 agreed to. Committee adjourned until the 3rd April. Written evidence reported to the House.

Clauses 3 to 7 agreed to. Schedules 2 and 3 agreed to. Clause 8, discussed with new clause 30 (Seizure of motor vehicles: driving licence penalties), new clause 36 (Removal of prohibition on entering a private dwelling to confiscate an off-road bike), new clause 37 (Power to seize vehicles driven...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of recording data on crimes involving (a) acid and (b) corrosive fluid.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of recording data on crimes involving (a) acid and (b) corrosive fluid.

I. Letter dated 15/08/2019 from Priti Patel MP to Yvette Cooper MP regarding consultations on Offensive Weapons Act provisions. 2p. II. Offensive Weapons Act 2019: statutory guidance - draft for consultation. 50p. III. Knife Crime Prevention Orders: guidance. 20p.

I. Letter dated 15/08/2019 from Priti Patel MP to Yvette Cooper MP regarding consultations on Offensive Weapons Act provisions. 2p. II. Offensive Weapons Act 2019: statutory guidance - draft for consultation. 50p. III. Knife Crime Prevention Orders: guidance. 20p.

Lords committee stage. Government amendments made to clause 1. Clause 1 agreed to as amended. Clauses 2 to 4 agreed to. Government amendments made to clause 5. Clause 5 agreed to as amended. Schedules 1 and 2 agreed to as amended. Bill reported as amended (HL Bill 197).

Lords committee stage. Government amendments made to clause 1. Clause 1 agreed to as amended. Clauses 2 to 4 agreed to. Government amendments made to clause 5. Clause 5 agreed to as amended. Schedules 1 and 2 agreed to as amended. Bill reported as amended (HL Bill 197).

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for raising this issue and for the opportunity to discuss it with him at a meeting last week. As he explained, his amendment would place a duty on the Secretary of State to open a public consultation on statutory firearms licensing...

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for raising this issue and for the opportunity to discuss it with him at a meeting last week. As he explained, his amendment would place a duty on the Secretary of State to open a public consultation on statutory firearms licensing...

Lords report stage second day. Amendments debated and withdrawn. Government amendments and a new clause agreed to. Bill, as amended, ordered to be printed (HL Bill 162).

Lords report stage second day. Amendments debated and withdrawn. Government amendments and a new clause agreed to. Bill, as amended, ordered to be printed (HL Bill 162).

My Lords, naturally I am very saddened to hear my noble friend’s answers, but I see no point in trying to pursue this further, so I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

My Lords, naturally I am very saddened to hear my noble friend’s answers, but I see no point in trying to pursue this further, so I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Moved by

Lord Kennedy of Southwark

91: After Clause 26, insert the following new Clause—

“Kirpans

(1) The Criminal Justice Act 1988 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 141A, insert—

“141B Kirpans

For the purposes of section 139, 139A, 141 or 141A it shall be lawful for a person to possess a Kirpan for religious, ceremonial,...

Moved by

Lord Kennedy of Southwark

91: After Clause 26, insert the following new Clause—

“Kirpans

(1) The Criminal Justice Act 1988 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 141A, insert—

“141B Kirpans

For the purposes of section 139, 139A, 141 or 141A it shall be lawful for a person to possess a Kirpan for religious, ceremonial,...

My Lords, Amendment 91, tabled in my name and with the support of the noble Lord, Lord Paddick, seeks to place on the face of the Bill a provision to exempt the kirpan from the provisions relating to the possession of offences weapons under the Criminal Justice Act 1988. I...

My Lords, Amendment 91, tabled in my name and with the support of the noble Lord, Lord Paddick, seeks to place on the face of the Bill a provision to exempt the kirpan from the provisions relating to the possession of offences weapons under the Criminal Justice Act 1988. I...

My Lords, I have added my name to the amendment, which I fully support. One of the Minister’s main arguments against granting exemption to the Sikh community was that the Government could not single out one particular community—the Sikhs—for an exemption. In that case, I ask the Minister: what other...

My Lords, I have added my name to the amendment, which I fully support. One of the Minister’s main arguments against granting exemption to the Sikh community was that the Government could not single out one particular community—the Sikhs—for an exemption. In that case, I ask the Minister: what other...

My Lords, Sikhs are asking for nothing more than respect for their religious and cultural practices and requirements.

The main majority of the community is catered for in this Bill—regarding sporting activities, films, television, historical enactments and so on.

My Lords, Sikhs are asking for nothing more than respect for their religious and cultural practices and requirements.

The main majority of the community is catered for in this Bill—regarding sporting activities, films, television, historical enactments and so on.

My Lords, the description of the kirpan given by the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, was absolutely correct: it is a religious requirement which has been known to British Governments and the British people since the two World Wars. In the Army, there was a Sikh batch of religious people who...

My Lords, the description of the kirpan given by the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, was absolutely correct: it is a religious requirement which has been known to British Governments and the British people since the two World Wars. In the Army, there was a Sikh batch of religious people who...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, for his amendment. It deals with an issue which we discussed at length in Committee and which was the subject of a very productive round table on 13 February, attended by members of the Sikh community, the noble Lords,...

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, for his amendment. It deals with an issue which we discussed at length in Committee and which was the subject of a very productive round table on 13 February, attended by members of the Sikh community, the noble Lords,...

My Lords—

My Lords—

May I just finish before the noble Lord comes in? On the basis that we want to work with noble Lords to find an equitable solution, I hope that the noble Lord will be able to withdraw his amendment at this stage. The answer to the question put by the...

May I just finish before the noble Lord comes in? On the basis that we want to work with noble Lords to find an equitable solution, I hope that the noble Lord will be able to withdraw his amendment at this stage. The answer to the question put by the...

My Lords, much is being made of the definition of a kirpan. It was said in a meeting with Home Office people that a kirpan is simply a Punjabi word for a sword, and that there is no other need for a definition as it is nothing very different. This...

My Lords, much is being made of the definition of a kirpan. It was said in a meeting with Home Office people that a kirpan is simply a Punjabi word for a sword, and that there is no other need for a definition as it is nothing very different. This...

Before my noble friend the Minister sits down, can she give us any examples of how the current legislation allowing for religious reasons has worked out? Have there been cases where it has been cited, and was it effective?

Before my noble friend the Minister sits down, can she give us any examples of how the current legislation allowing for religious reasons has worked out? Have there been cases where it has been cited, and was it effective?

My Lords, following exactly from that point, the Minister has relied on the wording “for religious reasons”, which would be substituted in the Bill by “in religious ceremonies”. By saying that the Government will continue to work on this, is she in fact suggesting that that is inadequate? While I...

My Lords, following exactly from that point, the Minister has relied on the wording “for religious reasons”, which would be substituted in the Bill by “in religious ceremonies”. By saying that the Government will continue to work on this, is she in fact suggesting that that is inadequate? While I...

I am trying to say that we are trying to come to a workable solution, particularly for the Sikh community. On the question of other legislation, what immediately springs to my mind is that there was of course the exemption for Sikhs on mopeds who were wearing a turban. So...

I am trying to say that we are trying to come to a workable solution, particularly for the Sikh community. On the question of other legislation, what immediately springs to my mind is that there was of course the exemption for Sikhs on mopeds who were wearing a turban. So...