UK Borders Bill

That, of course, is if one knows what their background is. It is a difficulty. The example I have given in the past, of course, is much easier to deal with. One has to consider that the blanket protection given by the amendment means that a person who genuinely claims he has been tortured, who is someone to whom a country would wish to give protection, will be treated in the same way as someone who has abused others. The question is: should they or should they not be given exactly the same exemption? That is the kind of question that noble Lords would have to answer if the amendment were to return in its current state on another occasion when it could be pressed to a Division. Having listened to the debate so far, but without the benefit of listening yet to the Minister, if I were put in that position, I could not support the amendment and I would ask my noble friends not to do so. I am careful to cover this at some length because noble Lords will know that I am shortly to enter a period of silence in a different guise and that my noble friend Lady Hanham will have the fantastic experience of taking over this wonderful brief in which one hears the great experience of noble Lords. It covers the most difficult of issues and my noble friend will have to read these debates to see why I would not support the amendment. At first sight, supporting the amendment seems the most honourable thing to do, but I fear it would have unintended consequences.