International Criminal Court Bill [Lords]
2:30 pm
Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate, Conservative)
On a point of order, Mr. Cook. In the business statement today, the Leader of the House announced that consideration on Report and Third Reading would take place on 9 May. I asked the right hon. Lady a question, pointing out that the Committee was precisely halfway through its consideration of the Bill, having reached the fifth of its 10 sittings, but had reached only the clause stand part debate for clause 2 of an 84-clause Bill. I asked her to consider rescheduling Report and Third Reading to allow us proper consideration of the important issues of principle that still have to be discussed, such as universal jurisdiction and diplomatic immunity. Such rescheduling would allow us also to continue our current discussion about the consequences of the Bill for reconciliation.
The right hon. Lady undertook to report my concerns to the Minister in charge of the Bill. I do not know whether she has had a chance to do that, but I would like to place on the record that it seems clear that we will not be able fully to discuss important issues of principle. I hope that the Government will consider postponing the date of Report and Third Reading to allow consideration of the Bill to continue after 3 May.