Clause 18 - Meaning of ''emergency''
Civil Contingencies Bill
3:15 pm
Mr Richard Allan (Shadow Spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, Cabinet Office; Sheffield, Hallam, Liberal Democrat)
I apologise for not diving in before, but I was looking at the next group of amendments. This will not require a ministerial response, as it is more a comment on the clause than a question.
I simply wish to put it on the record that the Liberal Democrats remain concerned about the definitions in the clause. I am aware that we are only on lock 1 of what is supposed to be a triple lock and that we still have to make a great deal of progress. Having spent a lot of time considering the matter—we needed to do so—it seems that the first lock is not really much of a lock at all. I suspect that the other two will be more of a lock, but the definition is so broad and comprehensive that to call this a lock is a misnomer. We remain concerned about some words, which I am sure we will return to at later stages.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 18 ordered to stand part of the Bill.