Clause 70 - Voyeurism: interpretation

Part of Sexual Offences Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 4:00 pm on 18 September 2003.

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Photo of Paul Goggins Paul Goggins Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office 4:00, 18 September 2003

The hon. Gentleman raises an interesting question about how tightly we have defined ''structure''. We have intended ''structure'' to include

''a tent, vehicle or vessel or other temporary or movable structure''

as well as the more obvious places that the hon. Gentleman mentioned, including a house and a cubicle. That is because we want to restrict criminality for that offence to those who go to considerable lengths to spy on others who are engaged in private acts, rather than people who, to return to the point made by the hon. Member for Woking, just stumble across people while they are out and about.

The problem with the amendment is what ''enclosed space'' would mean. The amendment offers no definition of what that might be. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will illuminate.