Clause 51
Counter-Terrorism Bill
12:00 pm
Tony McNulty (Minister of State (Security, Counter-terrorism, Crime and Policing), Home Office; Harrow East, Labour)
As I have said in previous debates, I am not unsympathetic to doing something at that end, but I do not think we should do anything at all to the mandatory end. I do not think these amendments suffice. New clause 7 is flawed. It talks about the original court of determination, but under the current regime, the court will not determine anything. The notification requirement is automatic with the sentence, so it cannot be referred to the original court of determination.
However, I have said—with, I thought, extraordinary generosity—that I will take these matters away and consider them. I shall do so with a view to coming back on Report to say that, having looked at the matter further, on reflection, I do not agree with its broad thrust or, indeed, that there are ways in which we can at least give people the option before the end of 10 years of looking at coming off the register given their circumstances. In that context, I would far rather have the leisure to consider whether there are ways that we can proceed, rather than accepting clauses, however well intentioned, that might not have quite the import or legal outcome that their proponents desire.