Contributions
1,690 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Post Office (Horizon System) Offences BillI concur with my hon. Friend’s statement about the separation of powers. Does he agree that it is time for the courts and judicial system to reflect on their role in the scandal,…20 Mar 2024HANSARD Post Office (Horizon System) Offences BillExactly. If somebody gets more money out of this than they have in quantum lost, I am comfortable with that, as I believe is the Minister. It is better putting it into their…20 Mar 2024HANSARD Post Office (Horizon System) Offences BillI have to say to my good friend the shadow Minister that this is where I depart from the Select Committee. The advisory board has been very clear that we need to make the system…20 Mar 2024HANSARD Post Office (Horizon System) Offences BillWe need to get that message out. I have quite a few cases in which people were not prosecuted, but they put money—a lot, in some cases—back in. The hon. Gentleman just spoke about…20 Mar 2024HANSARD Post Office (Horizon System) Offences BillOr where it went.20 Mar 2024HANSARD Post Office (Horizon System) Offences BillCan I begin by declaring an interest as a member of the Horizon compensation advisory board? It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Scully). When he…20 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)Let me go back to the Trainline example. Suppose it is not child exploitation—the Minister is possibly right that it is specific, and hopefully there are not many people in one…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I think so, because the original wording talked about being able to nominate basically anybody. It was then defined, but the amendment widens it again. It says, “necessary…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I thought we had had a victory—one of those rare things we get with this Government—from the ISC in the House of Lords, but clearly the Minister has found a way of clawing that…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)This is an area that concerns me. I am quite certain the security services have protocols on how to deal with such things, but it worries me that the DWP is on that list. Having…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)Well, that would be fine if the Government did not redact things in IPCO reports and try to stop us getting access to— [ Interruption. ] I am sorry, but the Government are doing…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)May I make a simple suggestion, then? “Necessary operational awareness” is clunky language; surely what is meant is operational experience. That would cover it, would it not?07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I am sorry, but I do not agree with the Minister. He is giving those other public bodies additional powers, and I think it is quite reasonable for this Committee and the public to…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)Just say it. If the Minister says it to the Committee, his civil servants will not have to do it. It is easier doing it that way than having negotiations in the office later on.07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)Will the Minister put it in the guidance, then?07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)But, Minister, let us be honest: a lot of things that we would have taken for granted were ignored in Downing Street over the last few years. Until Boris Johnson became Prime…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I beg to differ. In the next clause, we will come on to the breadth and depth of the new powers, but that is a different argument—I will save that until then. However, he is the…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)If what the Minister has just said is the case, why do the Government push back on a suggestion that I think they actually made earlier on? The Minister is now pushing back on it.…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)Their budget was cut yesterday.07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I made that point to the Home Secretary on Second Reading. Yes, I think that is logical—07 Mar 2024