Sex Offenders Register Debate

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Sex Offenders Register

Lord Howard of Lympne Excerpts
Thursday 17th March 2011

(13 years, 2 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Neville-Jones Portrait Baroness Neville-Jones
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My Lords, it is not a question of giving in to the courts; it is undoubtedly a question of the proper implementation of court judgments and the role of Parliament in making legislation.

Lord Howard of Lympne Portrait Lord Howard of Lympne
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My Lords, we all respect the independence of the judiciary, but does not this case illustrate one of the difficulties caused by the Human Rights Act, which requires judges to go beyond their traditional role of interpreting the will of Parliament and to substitute their own views on proportionality? Is it not that which justifies the concerns of those of us who believe that these matters should be decided by Parliament?

Baroness Neville-Jones Portrait Baroness Neville-Jones
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I am sure that the whole House recognises the importance of proportionality and it will note the important point that has just been made.