Anti-social Behaviour Bill
10:30 am
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. O'Brien, and other hon. Members on both sides of the Committee. I especially welcome the two Ministers. The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth), must have got up this morning thinking, ''Oh no, not another Bill.'' The poor man seems to spend most of his time handling legislation in Committee, particularly in the absence of a replacement for the former Minister, the right hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham). I last served on a Committee with the Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the hon. Member for Harrow, East (Mr. McNulty), when he was in the Whips Office. I shall be fascinated to see how he takes up his responsibilities as the Bill progresses, particularly as I shall handle the issues with which he deals.
This is a mixed Bill. As Opposition Members said repeatedly on Second Reading, we seriously doubt whether much of it is necessary—there are existing powers, although they are not adequately used. We will challenge some parts of the Bill directly, either because they go too far in terms of infringing liberty or because they will not have the effect that the Government and, indeed, the Opposition would like. We all share the objective of reducing antisocial behaviour. Our amendments have been tabled in the spirit of trying to improve the Bill or to probe Ministers about their intentions and ways in which the Bill differs from current legislation. The amendments are serious: our intention is not to prolong proceedings on any particular items.
The Minister said that there was much to be dealt with in the timetable specified in the programme motion. I believe that that can be achieved, but take at face value the undertakings given by the hon. Member for Nottingham, East that there will be flexibility if necessary. My hon. Friends and I are anxious that the important points of the Bill should be dealt with properly and that the Government should be challenged where necessary. I am sure that the Minister will respond as well as he can, and I welcome that.
I look forward to serving under your chairmanship, Mr. O'Brien. We are content with the programme
motion, subject to the undertaking to which the Minister referred, that it will be open to discussion if we find ourselves running adrift.