Clause 16 - Proceedings for possession:
Anti-social Behaviour Bill
6:30 pm
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
On that last point, I hope that the Minister will still be responsible for ensuring that the legislation is enforced after it has gained Royal Assent. If I have a great deal of sympathy with the point of the hon. Member for Gedling it is because of this. We do not just sit here and pass laws. We also want them to have the desired effect. That is very important. It has guided me through my consideration of this Bill. I have been asking myself whether it will achieve what we are setting out to achieve.
I am grateful for the Minister's words of clarification about the remarks on the earlier amendment, and I accept the apology contained therein.
The Minister has succeeded in explaining the issue about amendment no. 197 that I sought to raise—although I am unsure whether other hon. Members have understood it. I obviously do not want to see legislation that favours the perpetrator more than the victim, which is clear from everything that I have said during proceedings on the Bill. If that is the intention behind clause 16(1) and (2), I am more than happy with the clarification of the distinction between the two grounds in the existing legislation to which I referred. On that basis, and with gratitude to the Minister for his clarification, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 16 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 17 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Further consideration adjourned.—[Mr. Heppell.]
Adjourned accordingly at twenty minutes to Seven o'clock till Thursday 15 May at ten minutes past Nine o'clock.