Violent Crime Reduction Bill

I am grateful to the noble Lord who has just spoken and my noble friends for their support. The Home Office, of course, has not moved a jot. The Government say "We already have all these powers". As the noble Lord has just said, there may be a lot of powers that can be dug out to sustain particular situations, but that does not make it easy for the police and enable them to act as and when they want to. There is a certain inconsistency in saying that we have these powers and then saying, "Lord Marlesford's proposals are Draconian and we have to deal with these things proportionately and sensitively". Frankly, I believe that the people of this country would welcome the simple statement which I propose be put on the statute book. It would make the police fully aware that they have powers as and when they need them to seal off areas and to search for guns using non-intrusive metal detectors. It would make it extremely risky for people to carry guns illegally. The chances are that the guns would be intercepted before they could be used. Many would not therefore be used or carried. I believe that my proposal is necessary and effective. I would therefore like to test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 146A) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 64; Not-Contents, 104.