Orders of the Day — Dangerous Drugs and Disabled Children Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 9 February 1973.

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Photo of Mr Michael Havers Mr Michael Havers , Wimbledon 12:00, 9 February 1973

That demonstrates the danger that I was seeking to explain. What we are being invited to do is to buy off retrospection. The doctrine is that retrospection should depend on whether the figure is £3 million or £5 million. Retrospection is a principle which should be applied, or not applied, according to proper requirements, and should not depend upon whether the fund is £3 million or £5 million. That shows the danger—willingness to go backwards in time and impose a liability which did not exist as a means of putting pressure upon the Government or upon Distillers. That is the danger of using the threat of a system which is contrary to the system of ordinary justice and our principles in this country.