Counter-Terrorism Bill

My Lords, I thank the Minister once again for his very careful and thorough reply. I do not really understand his point as to its timing being unhelpful. The principle of a fair hearing has been established in R v MB. What a fair hearing is in the circumstances of any particular case is a matter for other courts to decide. The amendment does not seek to stipulate, in any particular circumstances, what a fair hearing is or is not. It simply reiterates the principle established by the Appellate Committee of your Lordships’ House. So, with respect to the Minister, the timing of the amendment cannot be in any way unfortunate. The Minister seemed to say towards the end of his response that the amendment was an accurate reflection of what the Appellate Committee decided. All that the amendment seeks to do is to obtain clarity by enshrining the decision in the Bill. Since the law is as it is as a result of the case, the principle should not be hidden in the complexities of the judgment. I remind the noble Lord that there were five separate speeches. If the noble Lord is clear that the content of the amendment is an accurate reflection of what the Appellate Committee decided, surely, in the interests of legal certainty, it is desirable that the amendment should appear in the legislation. Once again, I wish to test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 48D) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 100; Not-Contents, 104.