New clause 4 - Persons under 18 years of age
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [Lords]
3:30 pm
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
I am grateful to the Minister and congratulate her on a far more comprehensive response to the issue than Lord Bassam gave when it was debated in the other place. His response was scanty, to say the least. I also note that the hon. Lady did not fall back on the excuse that Lord Bassam gave at the time, which was to say that the matter was addressed in the 1990 Act, so it should not be changed. Perhaps my earlier ammunition has already borne fruit, but we will wait and see before we take that as read.
The Minister advances a cogent argument that the point is already covered in other legislation—I shall forget the 1990 Act for a moment—and I am grateful for her recognition that there is an issue that has to be addressed. The Government believe that it is addressed. I will not dispute that now. I will have to study what the hon. Lady said, so that I can be reassured that the point is covered, but the Government seem to understand now, even if they did not when the issue was debated in the other place, the importance of what we suggest. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.
Motion and clause, by leave, withdrawn.