Civil Contingencies Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:32 pm on 19 January 2004.

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Photo of Oliver Heald Oliver Heald Shadow Leader of the House of Commons 5:32, 19 January 2004

That contribution is useful and helpful, and we will draw on it in Committee. However, I must not trespass on the good will of the House.

I pay tribute to the Joint Committee that examined the draft Civil Contingencies Bill, the Select Committee on Defence and the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which have moved the pre-legislative scrutiny forward a long way. The Government must not be complacent that they have got the Bill 100 per cent. right, and I look forward to exploring the issues in Committee.

The British public have been lucky in the past because they have been prepared to take, and work with, the measures needed to protect their security, as well as fighting for freedom in two world wars in the past century. We should not think that the British public are weak, feeble and unwilling to understand. If there is an emergency and we must face new threats, I am sure that the British public will respond.