Contributions
1,321 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDChild Poverty15. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of children in poverty.18 Mar 2024HANSARDState Pension Changes: WomenI start by paying tribute to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) for his persistent and powerful advocacy of the WASPI cause. I am here to speak up for the WASPI women of…12 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)It is good to see you in the Chair, Mrs Cummins. I echo what the shadow Minister says. We are all here to assist the brave personnel in our security and intelligence services, but…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)I beg to move amendment 22, in clause 2, page 4, leave out lines 27 to 30. This amendment is consequential on Amendment 23.07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)First, unless I was distracted, I do not think I got a specific answer on the types of data mentioned in the amendment—for example a Facebook post, CCTV footage or anything else.07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)I am grateful for that. Could the Minister perhaps follow up on that in writing? That is useful to have on the record. This discussion is mainly about amendment 23; the other…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)It is useful to have that explanation. I understand that is the existing process, as the 2016 Act applies just now. However, my simple question concerns the fact that that does…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)That is useful to know. I will pray in aid the fact that we did not have any witnesses; anything I say that is daft, and anywhere that I do not understand how the Bill operates, I…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)I will go away and consider what the Minister said. Our basic issue here is that a process is in place whereby every single individual dataset must be approved and have the…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)Again, I get all that, and I do not think that we are really at cross-purposes. However, we are talking about 12 months of access to datasets without necessarily having them…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)I will be very brief, because I fully support what the shadow Minister and the right hon. Member for North Durham have said. If we are going to go down the route of somewhat…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (First sitting)I fully understand the questions that have been proposed by the shadow Minister, and it will be interesting to hear the answers that he gets. On clause 5, it makes sense to ensure…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I beg to move amendment 39, clause 12, page 33, leave out lines 16 and 17. This amendment would remove one of the examples cases where a relevant person has lawful authority to…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)The clause relates to section 11 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, which created an offence where a relevant public authority knowingly or recklessly obtained communications…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I thank the Minister for his response and his explanation. We will of course take that away and give it consideration again. He has referred to codes of practice being put into…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I very much appreciate that, and that will hopefully help to clear things up before we get to the next stage of proceedings. I will withdraw the amendment.07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 12 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clauses 13 and 14 ordered to stand part of the Bill.…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I would be reassured if there was independent advanced judicial oversight. The Minister has said a couple of times that the powers will be used “exceptionally”. What is the…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)As I understand it, the Minister is describing the powers that already exist under the 2016 Act. If we are down to that level of knowledge of where, when and who, then what in the…07 Mar 2024HANSARDInvestigatory Powers (Amendment) Bill [ Lords ] (Second sitting)I have some comments to make about extraterritoriality, but I will do so in the next debate. Question put and agreed to. Clause 16 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill.…07 Mar 2024