Contributions
1,690 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)I have some sympathy with this clause; the Investigatory Powers Commissioner has a big job on their hands anyway. I wonder whether the Minister could say whether he has given any…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)But that is not what the Bill says at the moment, as my hon. Friend the Member for Garston and Halewood said. It gives sweeping powers to designate things, and I am always against…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)I do. Since I have been on the ISC, I have always been amazed when I read accusations made in this place or in public about what the security services get up to. Frankly, if they…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)I am very conscious of what the hon. Gentleman has said, but to date neither the Government nor the security services have provided any justification or examples to the ISC as to…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)On the hon. Member’s second point, frankly there is already no liability, because that has already been covered. Can he give an example of where the security services have not…14 Jul 2022HANSARD British Special Forces in Afghanistan: New AllegationsHaving met members of our special forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of the Defence Committee and as a Minister, I have nothing but the utmost respect for them and…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)This morning we saw the Minister use reasonableness in clause 20, but he is not prepared to use it here. Does my hon. Friend agree that reasonableness in law is a well-established…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)It takes a lot to get that in a Bill Committee. My hon. Friend the Member for Garston and Halewood is right—this needs clarifying in the Bill. When the Minister goes away to think…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)rose —14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)North Durham.14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)I thank the Minister for reading his speech very well, but I take issue with the implication of what he said at the end, and I feel a bit annoyed about it. The implication is that…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)The other safeguard in this area is surely that if there were to be any prosecution of an agency staff member or a member of the armed forces, the Attorney General would also have…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)That is very welcome, but we do not just want that in writing—we want to have the agency heads actually come and speak. I think we have a meeting with them scheduled for some time…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)It is about both. I will come to liability, because I do not think that individual officers are liable due to existing legislation. As for what I mean by oversight, I am clear…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)Will the Minister give way?14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)The Minister has just said that the reasonableness test has not been used. The Attorney General would also have to get over that bar. Alongside that sits the old consolidated…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)Can the Minister clarify what he means by “reasonable”? I know what it means in law, but I also know that there is a reasonableness test in the existing section 7 of the Act,…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)I support the proposals. My concern, which is one I will express throughout the passage of the Bill, is the Bill’s relationship with the Official Secrets Act 1989, under which the…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Sixth sitting)If that is the justification, why do we not just bin the consolidated guidance and the Fulford principles, on which such judgments are based? The rendition inquiry has great…14 Jul 2022HANSARDNational Security Bill (Fifth sitting)Will the Minister give way?14 Jul 2022