I want to write to Lord Bassam of Brighton
Lord Bassam of Brighton: ...the wider public. Such a threat could never be confined solely to those at a small gathering in the way that it could for the offence under Clause 1. A court would be clear that the possession of radioactive material or a radioactive device by those who had the intention of using that device or material in committing a terrorist act would represent a serious risk to the health or safety of...
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Yes, I think that I am, my Lords. I understand the noble Lord's intention in putting forward this amendment. He is concerned that a person would not be committing an offence if he possessed radioactive material and intended to use it against those at a public meeting. I confirm to him that this is not the effect of the clause at present, as possession of such material represents a general...
Lord Bassam of Brighton: ...9(4), and that is because the word in 9(4) is intended to be interpreted in a much more general sense than elsewhere in the Bill. So, for an offence under Clauses 9, 10 or 11 to be committed, the radioactive material in question must create a risk to the health and safety of the public at large. That is why we have used a different definition in those clauses. The noble Lord might not be...
Lord Bassam of Brighton: ...programme—we have taken decisive action at ports and airports as part of that programme—we have put in place Programme Cyclamen, which is designed to screen for the illicit movement of radioactive materials by traffic entering the UK by air, sea and Channel Tunnel. That programme is scheduled for completion in March 2007. The programme will screen container and road freight, post and...
Lord Bassam of Brighton: ...environment. Given the reference to chemical matter, it is unnecessary to refer to oil separately. We also agree that it is not necessary to refer specifically to "harmful" chemical, biological or radioactive matter. Contamination will constitute an emergency only if it poses a threat of harm to the environment, so the word "harmful" on line 5 is redundant. The clause will now provide...
Lord Bassam of Brighton: ...New Dimension Programme, incorporates the procurement of radiation monitoring equipment for deployment at incidents involving radiation to give early on-site indication of the release of hazardous radioactive material or radioactivity. The noble Lord, Lord Jopling, is particularly anxious that the resilience of our ports to the smuggling of illicit persons or materials is strengthened. For...
Lord Bassam of Brighton: ...rescue services. It incorporates the procurement of radiation monitoring equipment for deployment at incidents involving radiation to give an early on-site indication of the release of hazardous radioactive material or radioactivity. The Government have put in place Programme Cyclamen, which is designed to screen for the illicit movement of radioactive materials by traffic entering the...
Lord Bassam of Brighton: .... What the noble Baroness proposes would expressly provide that any chemical matter must be noxious to constitute a threat to the environment. The Bill already provides that biological, chemical or radioactive matter must be harmful to constitute a threat to the environment. That covers the term "noxious". I suggest that those things would be noxious in any event. I am not sure that the...