4.3 pm
Criminal Law (Amendment) (Householder Protection) Bill
6:15 pm
Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North, Labour)
I found sitting in Committee very educative this afternoon. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Newark, who promoted the Bill, for the generosity and good spirit with which he has pressed his proposed legislation. I am grateful also to the number of distinguished members of the Committee who have intervened, particularly the hon. Member North Down, whose comments have been extremely helpful—I dread receiving the bill. However, there is no vast difference between the members of the Committee.
My amendments were intended to enlighten rather than destroy. We do not disagree on the subject. In the certain knowledge that we will discuss it further, and in recognition of the decency shown by the hon. and gallant Member for Newark, who clearly seeks to reassure rather than frighten, and to address an issue of fear throughout the land, with your permission and that of the Committee, Mr. Cook, I shall not seek to press my amendments to a vote.