Police and Justice Bill

I rather feared that that might be the case. The noble Lord, Lord Dholakia, was right to pinpoint the issue with this power as one of scope. I understand what the noble Baroness says about not wanting it to bleed into other issues. I very much appreciate what the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford, said about being content to look at the provisions again and seek to narrow them. I cannot give any hope in that regard, but I was very interested to hear the results of the noble Lord’s meeting with ACPO. We appreciate the benefit of making legislation simpler and clearer, and we welcome ACPO’s views in that respect. However, we have not received any request or indication from ACPO that it wishes an extension of the existing powers in this area. I should be frank in saying that, to date, we have received the opposite impression. However, bearing in mind this new expression of its views through the noble Lord, Lord Marlesford—and we are very conscious of recent events, and therefore the sensitivities with which we should view this—it might benefit us to have a meeting with the noble Lord, the noble Baroness and the noble Lord, Lord Dholakia, if that was felt appropriate, to explore what avenue, if any, there is in this matter. That could not be predicated on the basis that we would be likely to come forward with an agreed amendment, because of the difficulties we have experienced to date in trying to narrow this field. One of the difficulties we have had on all provisions—and the noble Baroness has been one of the main architects of ensuring this—is that we have a whole series of specific restraints on each exercise of each power in each Bill, which would have to be consolidated in some way that I cannot envisage. A discussion about those issues, however, may be very helpful, as we may all be content thereafter that we have done our best with our existing legislation, and if not, we can see how we could do a little better.