Schedule 8 - Genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes: articles 6 to 9
International Criminal Court Bill [Lords]
3:30 pm
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot, Conservative)
I am grateful to the Solicitor-General for responding to my points. He was right to observe that the amendments are probing, rather than substantive, and I hope that his comments will reassure our armed forces. He said that he did not believe that the provisions of the schedule would inhibit our forces in a legitimate prosecution of their activities. I am sure that I have not got the words exactly right, but he certainly used the word ``inhibit'', which is the one that springs to mind. I hope that he is right. I am disappointed that the Government are not prepared to enter a reservation or interpretative declaration, to use the French expression, as the French have, because it would have been helpful to have done so. I accept the point that he and the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun made—that we are discussing matters that are essentially for United Kingdom courts to judge. I hope that, if the Bill is passed and we are ever in the unfortunate position of engaging in a sufficiently large conflict in which such issues might arise, our courts will interpret the provision in the way that the Solicitor-General suggests and that it will not inhibit our armed forces. On that basis, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Schedule 8 agreed to.