My Lords, it is always stimulating to follow the noble Lord, Lord Rooker—although I disagree with him, which is unusual. I add my support to the amendments in this group which seek to ensure that immunity from criminal and civil liability for criminal acts cannot be given by the authoriser...

My Lords, it is always stimulating to follow the noble Lord, Lord Rooker—although I disagree with him, which is unusual. I add my support to the amendments in this group which seek to ensure that immunity from criminal and civil liability for criminal acts cannot be given by the authoriser...

My Lords, it is always a delight to follow my friend, the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy of The Shaws.

There are three sides to this argument. What makes this debate so interesting is that they cross party boundaries. The noble Lord, Lord Dubs, argues the powerful JCHR case for prior authorisation...

My Lords, it is always a delight to follow my friend, the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy of The Shaws.

There are three sides to this argument. What makes this debate so interesting is that they cross party boundaries. The noble Lord, Lord Dubs, argues the powerful JCHR case for prior authorisation...

My Lords, I have little to add to what has gone before. I often wonder whether the Government are concerned about judicial review when they resist placing the test of a decision on a reasonable basis in any legislation. If the test in any case is simply the subjective belief...

My Lords, I have little to add to what has gone before. I often wonder whether the Government are concerned about judicial review when they resist placing the test of a decision on a reasonable basis in any legislation. If the test in any case is simply the subjective belief...

My Lords, I support Amendment 56A in particular. In the earlier debate on the issue of prior judicial authorisation, I made the point that notification of an authorisation of criminal conduct to the IPC, as suggested by the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, and other noble Lords, lacked teeth. In response,...

My Lords, I support Amendment 56A in particular. In the earlier debate on the issue of prior judicial authorisation, I made the point that notification of an authorisation of criminal conduct to the IPC, as suggested by the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, and other noble Lords, lacked teeth. In response,...

My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Warsi, and I share her abhorrence of the idea of absolute immunity, to which she spoke so eloquently. Over 800 years, we have evolved a system of dealing with crime in this country where the guilt or...

My Lords, it is always a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Warsi, and I share her abhorrence of the idea of absolute immunity, to which she spoke so eloquently. Over 800 years, we have evolved a system of dealing with crime in this country where the guilt or...

My Lords, obviously, a government agency cannot grant to an individual immunity from prosecution by a foreign power for offences committed on its soil—a point made strongly a moment ago by the noble Baroness, Lady Ritchie, who referred to the comments of a Minister in the Dáil. One understands the...

My Lords, obviously, a government agency cannot grant to an individual immunity from prosecution by a foreign power for offences committed on its soil—a point made strongly a moment ago by the noble Baroness, Lady Ritchie, who referred to the comments of a Minister in the Dáil. One understands the...

My Lords, I have previously today made a case against permitting the authorisation of criminal conduct by an organ of the state without any independent check or oversight. The noble Lord, Lord Dubs, in introducing his amendment, referred to the Finucane case and the strong comments made by Desmond de...

My Lords, I have previously today made a case against permitting the authorisation of criminal conduct by an organ of the state without any independent check or oversight. The noble Lord, Lord Dubs, in introducing his amendment, referred to the Finucane case and the strong comments made by Desmond de...

I congratulate the noble and learned Lord, Lord Stewart of Dirleton, on his excellent maiden speech. He referred to many sports in Dirleton, and I was hoping that he might mention the excellent North Berwick Rowing Club. I think he should have a word with his noble friend— I refer...

I congratulate the noble and learned Lord, Lord Stewart of Dirleton, on his excellent maiden speech. He referred to many sports in Dirleton, and I was hoping that he might mention the excellent North Berwick Rowing Club. I think he should have a word with his noble friend— I refer...

My Lords, many concerns have been expressed in this debate—by my noble friend Lord Paddick and the noble Lord, Lord Blunkett, in particular—about personal privacy and the right to maintain a private life. However, I want to concentrate on legal professional privilege. It has been analysed brilliantly by the noble...

My Lords, many concerns have been expressed in this debate—by my noble friend Lord Paddick and the noble Lord, Lord Blunkett, in particular—about personal privacy and the right to maintain a private life. However, I want to concentrate on legal professional privilege. It has been analysed brilliantly by the noble...

My Lords, as I understand it, the Government have published proposals to bring the partial defences into being in the Bill. The Minister can tell me whether I am wrong.

My Lords, as I understand it, the Government have published proposals to bring the partial defences into being in the Bill. The Minister can tell me whether I am wrong.

My Lords, I shall speak to the amendments in my name. One problem with legislation being produced in this way at a very late stage in the consideration of a Bill is that it is impossible fully to understand its purpose. Consequently, my amendments are largely directed at clarification and...

My Lords, I shall speak to the amendments in my name. One problem with legislation being produced in this way at a very late stage in the consideration of a Bill is that it is impossible fully to understand its purpose. Consequently, my amendments are largely directed at clarification and...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, on the introduction of the Bill and assure him of full support from these Benches as it progresses, subject only to improvements to its form that we hope to be able to make. The noble Lord wondered whether he should be...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Selsdon, on the introduction of the Bill and assure him of full support from these Benches as it progresses, subject only to improvements to its form that we hope to be able to make. The noble Lord wondered whether he should be...

My Lords, I am an old lag in this; I have been through it all not once but on many occasions. We are very grateful that the Government have given way to the pressure exerted on them by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd, who has consistently put forward...

My Lords, I am an old lag in this; I have been through it all not once but on many occasions. We are very grateful that the Government have given way to the pressure exerted on them by the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd, who has consistently put forward...

My Lords, from these Benches I also congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford, on his fight to widen the security and safety of the ordinary citizen. His original amendment, which we supported, has the great benefit of simplicity; he managed to encapsulate in short order all the necessary ingredients. We...

My Lords, from these Benches I also congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford, on his fight to widen the security and safety of the ordinary citizen. His original amendment, which we supported, has the great benefit of simplicity; he managed to encapsulate in short order all the necessary ingredients. We...

rose to move Amendment No. 32A, as an amendment to the Motion that this House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 32, leave out ““agree”” and insert ““disagree””. The noble Lord said: My Lords, the Minister has been good enough to apologise for the late delivery of...

rose to move Amendment No. 32A, as an amendment to the Motion that this House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 32, leave out ““agree”” and insert ““disagree””. The noble Lord said: My Lords, the Minister has been good enough to apologise for the late delivery of...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford, said that what had happened was outrageous. As he said that, I wrote down the rather more lawyerly words ““abuse of process””, which the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd, then used. It is an abuse of process to legislate in this way....

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford, said that what had happened was outrageous. As he said that, I wrote down the rather more lawyerly words ““abuse of process””, which the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd, then used. It is an abuse of process to legislate in this way....

My Lords, the Minister has referred to the delicate balance between security and civil liberties. Because a consensus has to be achieved on that, the Statement is extremely welcome. I hope that the consultation process works well. It might have been better achieved if Mr Gordon Brown had restrained his...

My Lords, the Minister has referred to the delicate balance between security and civil liberties. Because a consensus has to be achieved on that, the Statement is extremely welcome. I hope that the consultation process works well. It might have been better achieved if Mr Gordon Brown had restrained his...

My Lords, does the noble and learned Lord agree that a fair trial requires the disclosure of material that is exculpatory of a particular defendant? Should not intercept evidence therefore be available for that purpose?

My Lords, does the noble and learned Lord agree that a fair trial requires the disclosure of material that is exculpatory of a particular defendant? Should not intercept evidence therefore be available for that purpose?

My Lords, the Minister chided me in the earlier debate in relation to the Attorney-General’s independence. Can we have some clarification on this?

My Lords, the Minister chided me in the earlier debate in relation to the Attorney-General’s independence. Can we have some clarification on this?

My Lords, this is a very short Bill on a very important subject. As the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor of Bolton, said, we have been down this track many times; indeed, one might say that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd, has kept right on to the end of...

My Lords, this is a very short Bill on a very important subject. As the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor of Bolton, said, we have been down this track many times; indeed, one might say that the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lloyd, has kept right on to the end of...