Clause 2 - Directions etc. by the Secretary of State
Private Security Industry Bill [Lords]
11:45 am
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
I am listening carefully to the Minister, but does he not recognise that what he is setting out as the Government's position is directly contrary to the letter that his ministerial colleague, Lord Bassam, wrote to my noble Friends in relation to the Bill? The terms of that letter were set out by my noble Friend Viscount Astor at column 1362 of the Official Report on 1 March 2001. It stated:
``I remain of the view that there may be very limited circumstances in which the use of a confidential direction may be necessary, for example, directions naming individuals or particular companies and consequently we should not place a requirement on the face of the Bill for all directions under Clause 2 to be published''.
That is a quotation from a ministerial letter relating to the clause. It is specific about what the Government were taking power to do.