My Lords, like other noble Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Brabazon of Tara, for opening the debate and for his chairmanship of the Select Committee. Indeed, as the Select Committee says, parliamentary privilege is one of the special characteristics of our democracy that is crucial...

My Lords, like other noble Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Brabazon of Tara, for opening the debate and for his chairmanship of the Select Committee. Indeed, as the Select Committee says, parliamentary privilege is one of the special characteristics of our democracy that is crucial...

I was trying to work out the difference between the collective of officers versus the value of individual Members. It reminded me of the “Yes Minister” episode about the National Health Service that concluded that the NHS would run enormously smoothly if patients were not to come through hospitals.

The substantive...

I was trying to work out the difference between the collective of officers versus the value of individual Members. It reminded me of the “Yes Minister” episode about the National Health Service that concluded that the NHS would run enormously smoothly if patients were not to come through hospitals.

The substantive...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Bridget Prentice) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am announcing today the commencement of a feasibility and scoping study into the operation of no-win, no-fee arrangements in England and Wales. We are aware of growing concerns that no-win, no-fee arrangements...

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Bridget Prentice) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am announcing today the commencement of a feasibility and scoping study into the operation of no-win, no-fee arrangements in England and Wales. We are aware of growing concerns that no-win, no-fee arrangements...

Whether they will introduce legislation to abolish the common law offence of criminal libel.

Whether they will introduce legislation to abolish the common law offence of criminal libel.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will review the common law offence of criminal libel in the light of the remarks of Lord Scott of Foscote in Ashley and Another v Chief Constable of Sussex Police that it is a general rule of the criminal law that no one is ““to...

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will review the common law offence of criminal libel in the light of the remarks of Lord Scott of Foscote in Ashley and Another v Chief Constable of Sussex Police that it is a general rule of the criminal law that no one is ““to...

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are their reasons for not giving effect to the recommendation by the Law Commission in Criminal Law: Report on Criminal Libel (Cmnd 9618) of September 1985 to abolish the common law offence of criminal libel and replace it with a new offence aimed at the deliberately...

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are their reasons for not giving effect to the recommendation by the Law Commission in Criminal Law: Report on Criminal Libel (Cmnd 9618) of September 1985 to abolish the common law offence of criminal libel and replace it with a new offence aimed at the deliberately...

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will review the common law offence of criminal libel in order to ensure its compatibility with the principles of legal certainty and proportionality required by Article 10(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights to justify interference with the right to freedom of expression.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will review the common law offence of criminal libel in order to ensure its compatibility with the principles of legal certainty and proportionality required by Article 10(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights to justify interference with the right to freedom of expression.

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now again resolve itself into Committee on this Bill. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to. House in Committee accordingly. [The LORD SPEAKER in the Chair.] Clause 128 [Reasonable force for purposes of self-defence etc.]:

My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now again resolve itself into Committee on this Bill. Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to. House in Committee accordingly. [The LORD SPEAKER in the Chair.] Clause 128 [Reasonable force for purposes of self-defence etc.]:

Of course I cannot answer that question because I cannot anticipate the time that noble Lords will spend on the Bill in your Lordships’ House. However, I confirm that, if we were to withdraw it, that would require me to table an amendment, which would be open to debate.

Of course I cannot answer that question because I cannot anticipate the time that noble Lords will spend on the Bill in your Lordships’ House. However, I confirm that, if we were to withdraw it, that would require me to table an amendment, which would be open to debate.

I am grateful to the noble Earl for that intervention, but the point relates to Section 55(2)(d) of the Data Protection Act 1998, under which subsection (1) does not apply when a person shows, "““that in the particular circumstances the obtaining, disclosing or procuring was justified as being in the...

I am grateful to the noble Earl for that intervention, but the point relates to Section 55(2)(d) of the Data Protection Act 1998, under which subsection (1) does not apply when a person shows, "““that in the particular circumstances the obtaining, disclosing or procuring was justified as being in the...

Blasphemy approaches, but this is an important discussion which I am sure that we will come back to at Report. I understand exactly what the noble Earls, Lord Onslow and Lord Northesk, are driving at when they raise concerns about where information is going and the impact of information sharing....

Blasphemy approaches, but this is an important discussion which I am sure that we will come back to at Report. I understand exactly what the noble Earls, Lord Onslow and Lord Northesk, are driving at when they raise concerns about where information is going and the impact of information sharing....