Police and Justice Bill

My Lords, perhaps I may follow my noble friend Lord Anderson because, in a sense, his position and mine are virtually identical. In the earlier debates, I was extremely sceptical and doubtful about whether my noble friend would achieve anything when she went to the Senate. Indeed, I was even doubtful about what she would say to members of the Senate that might induce them to change their minds. I was wrong. My noble friend obviously did a superb job, the result of which is that the Senate is now prepared to recommend, in that they are advising consent, that the treaty be ratified. I want to make two points: one is quasi-legal and the other more practical. As presently drafted, the treaty is in the interests of the United Kingdom. We need it. I have not heard a word from the other side about the circumstances in which it benefits the United Kingdom, which it clearly does. It gives us advantages in getting people back from the United States to this country. I am rather in favour of that and I should have thought that most Members of this House would be, too. The problem that I had in the earlier discussions was that we were in a position to ratify but the United States was not moving in the direction of ratification. It has now moved considerably—and rather surprisingly. That brings me to my second point, which concerns the practicalities. If we insist on these amendments, then, in the words of the noble Lord, Lord Goodhart—this is his objective—the treaty will have to be renegotiated. After next Tuesday, there will be a different Senate. If the treaty goes back to the Senate in the new form—there are bound to be some changes and there will be a new session of the Senate—there is no guarantee whatever that it will be accepted. If it is not accepted, we shall be right back at square one, which, frankly, is not a position that I would be prepared go back to. By and large, I accept what my noble friend said. If there is a vote tonight, I shall support the Government, whereas I am afraid I was not in a position to do that in July.