Clause 1
Compensation Bill [Lords]
5:30 pm
Lembit Öpik (Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Affairs; Montgomeryshire, Liberal Democrat)
I do not think that the Minister’s argument makes sense, even though she is a great Minister—rather greater than her argument, in fact. I hope that I am quoting her exactly, but I think that she said that “the courts already take into account all the factors surrounding a case.” If she means that and she assumes that all the factors will be taken into account and that the Bill does not change the law, she needs to explain why putting “shall” instead of “may” alters anything. According to her argument, the courts already shall take into account everything in clause 1. She is using a somewhat spurious argument against what seems a common-sense change.