Clause 32
Counter-Terrorism Bill
4:00 pm
Tony McNulty (Minister of State (Security, Counter-terrorism, Crime and Policing), Home Office; Harrow East, Labour)
No, I did not say article 6, but section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998, which says that everything that we do must be ECHR compliant and therefore compliant with the key provisions of article 1 and the right to property in article 8. I alluded to that as the background architecture. As the right hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham has already mentioned, clause 34, which will insert section 23B in the Terrorism Act 2000, says very clearly:
“Before making an order under section 23 or 23A, a court must give an opportunity to be heard to any person, other than the convicted person, who claims to be the owner or otherwise interested in anything which can be forfeited under that section.”
That is the belt and braces and the right hon. and learned Gentleman has referred to it already. That is entirely proper. As I have said, the way we are amending the architecture of the 2000 Act and all that it says on forfeiture will make the safeguards stronger. The points that have been made are covered in the Bill.