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Ms Oona King: Nothing can weigh more heavily on a democratically elected politician than the decision to go to war. That is why, when I was called into the Whips' Office and asked if I would vote with the Government to take military action if Iraq failed to disarm, I said no. I said that I could not vote with the Government. My reasoning was that Iraq had not had enough time to comply with the UN and that,...
Simon Hughes: Thank you for your courteous ruling on my points of order, Mr. Illsley. The clause is very straightforward and introduces schedule 20, which we shall debate next. It says that increases in penalties for certain drug-related offences ''shall have effect'', and those increases are set out in the schedule. It is right to raise general issues of principle now, rather than to wait for them to...
Mr David Rendel: I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to ban the manufacture, sale or use of collars which administer electric shocks to animals In 1996, I presented a Bill to the House with the aim of banning the manufacture, sale and use of electric shock dog collars. It was identical to the present Bill save for the fact that it referred only to dogs, whereas the new Bill refers to collars...
Simon Hughes: As always, the hon. Lady is well informed and her contribution is on the button. Such schemes are increasingly used and increasingly successful. In south London we have the ''Karrot'' scheme, which is about incentives and rewards for good behaviour. We are also introducing ever more opportunities for young people to do things for the community that they have abused. Unless one teaches respect...
Mr Tony Banks: First, I well recall the words of the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) who said that one should not judge human beings by the same standards as foxes. The hon. Gentleman is speaking as though foxes are equivalent to human beings, which is an accusation that is often thrown from the Opposition and is not relevant. Secondly, on traps, I have been in contact with...
Bob Spink: I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001; to make further provision relating to the confiscation of intoxicating liquor held by or for use by young persons in public and certain other places; and for connected purposes. The Bill's aim is simply to restore to the police the power to remove all alcohol from young people in public...
David Heath: .... We are edging towards the point at which we have a sensible, rational debate on the problems of drugs in this country—the second debate on the subject in this Chamber in about five weeks, and that is a precedent. The issue is no longer a peripheral one and it is being approached sensibly, without sloganising or fixed attitudes. The Home Affairs Committee report was a great help in that...
Simon Hughes: No, wait. Social supply is not for sale or profit, but about giving stuff to a mate—going out for the evening and passing stuff round. In my view, it is nonsensical to make that subject to prosecution. Just to complete the picture, I also believe that growing your own should not be subject to prosecution. In that way, the immediate supply that is not commercial would not be in the criminal...
Dominic Grieve: ...when they introduced the orders. However, the letter gives cause for concern as to whether the system, which was designed to ensure that offenders were kept off drugs by regular treatment and testing, is working. It rather suggests—[Interruption.] I do not want to get into a dispute with the Minister. We cannot get away from the fact that the figures suggest the contrary—that a good...
Andrew Selous: It is a great privilege to take part in the debate. Unlike many hon. Members present, I am not a lawyer. I am not necessarily proud of that, unlike my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow). I recognise that lawyers are valuable members of society. They dispense justice and ensure that victims are afforded protection. Nevertheless, I am a lay person and speak with perhaps a...
Ann Widdecombe: On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that you do not have any responsibility for the content of ministerial questions, but could I ask you to direct a slight frown of disapproval towards the Home Secretary? I tabled, with due notice, 15 questions on prison overcrowding and received an answer to precisely one.
Ann Widdecombe: To be able to get into France at all, and certainly to be able to obtain French citizenship, Ms Effala must have an application accepted. Never mind whether the application is successful; the physical process of getting an application accepted must be carried out by Ms Effala. Members of her family cannot make an application on her behalf. I have already explained the problem. Ms Effala was...
Evan Harris: The hon. Gentleman is quite right about that. Mental health legislation is rather like measures on adoption and children, in that there should be no need for significant cross-party oppositionitis—[Interruption.]—although some people still manage to disagree on party political issues. It is a good thing for the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) that there will be no...
Ann Widdecombe: May I ask the Home Secretary what consideration he gave to creating an offence of substantial possession? If those in possession of cannabis will not now be arrested unless they deal to children or cause a public order offence, what will be the position of those in possession of substantial amounts of cannabis? Where the police do not have quite enough evidence to prove intent to supply and...
Ms Jean Corston: I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Claire Ward) on securing the debate. I am grateful for being able to participate. Between 1995 and 1997, I was a member of the Select Committee on Home Affairs. During one of the Committee's inquiries, I visited many prisons in both this country and the United States. Owing to my interest in the subject, I have visited other prisons...
Gordon Marsden: I thank the hon. Gentleman for that point, but he has not had the opportunity to examine the insides of my cupboards and closets. Therefore, he cannot be sure that he is correct about fluffy toys. However, I accept that he has made a legitimate point. Several hon. Members, including the hon. Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway), have referred to non-monetary prize amusement machines and...
Jacqui Smith: I congratulate the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on securing this debate on an issue that is, I agree, important and significant. She has rightly had much to say about the state of the care home sector in her area. I recognise that the care home market in Kent is not ideally balanced, and some care home owners remain under pressure to sustain viable...
James Paice: I wish to associate myself with the Minister's remarks—which surprised me, as he made them, although they should not have done. I thank you, Mr. Stevenson, and Miss Widdecombe, Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Griffiths, for chairing our sittings, and I thank Committee members. I especially thank both the Ministers for the way that they have responded to our concerns. We have had differences, and we...
John Denham: On a point of order, Miss Widdecombe. The Committee may recall that, at our previous sitting, we discussed legislation allowing for blood samples to be taken from unconscious victims, and the hon. Member for South-East Cambridgeshire (Mr. Paice) referred to representations that had been made by the British Medical Association. I told him that we would reconsider the matter, although the...
Ann Widdecombe: With this it will be convenient to take the following amendments: No. 32, in page 137, line 23, at end insert— 'Seizure of vehicles used to cause alarm etc. 6B (1) An accredited person whose accreditation specifies that this paragraph applies to him— (a) shall, within the relevant police area, have all the powers of a constable in uniform under section 53 of this Act which are set out...