Protection of Freedoms Bill

Lord Scott of Foscote Excerpts

Tuesday 13th December 2011 Grand Committee

[Baroness Hamwee]

My Lords, the Minister referred to compliance by relevant authorities and others who might look at how it is working. That takes us straight back to Clause 33(5)(k) and whether the person referred to there is to be construed in the normal meaning of that language. I have been trying to catch the eye of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Scott, to tempt him to enter into this, but he has resisted, which is probably quite right. I see now that he is not going to resist.

[Lord Scott of Foscote]

Everyone who is mentioned in subsection (5) is either an individual or a corporate body and would fall within the meaning of the word “person”.

[Baroness Hamwee]

I think that might assist us. We are concerned that private corporations, if that is a concept that one can have, should be caught within the term “person”. The example that I used was the operator of a shopping mall. However, perhaps it is not fair to continue this debate in public. My noble friend Lord Phillips and I have made our concern very clear, and this debate is a little circular, so at this point the best thing I can do is to beg leave to withdraw the amendment.