Lords amendment: No. 5, in page 4, line 6, leave out from "period—to end of line 13 and insert—
"(a) in relation to a warrant which has not been renewed, means— (i) if the warrant was issued under subsection (1)(a) above, the period of two months beginning with the day on which it was issued; and (ii) if the warrant was issued under subsection (1)(b) above, the period ending with the second working day following that day: (b) in relation to a warrant which was last renewed within the period mentioned in paragraph la(ii) above, means the period of two months beginning with the day on which it was so renewed; and (c) in relation to a warrant which was last renewed at any other time, means— (i) if the instrument by which it was so renewed is endorsed with a statement that the renewal is considered necessary as mentioned in section 2(2)(a) or (c) above, the period of six months beginning with the day on which it was so renewed: and (ii) if that instrument is not so endorsed, the period of one month beginning with that day."
I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
The amendment fulfils an undertaking that was given in Committee that the Government would incorporate in an appropriate way in the Bill the arrangements for the duration of warrants as set out in paragraph 11 of the White Paper. The amendment secures the same practical effect as those arrangements. The original undertakings met with the support of hon. Members on both sides of the Committee. I hope that its implementation in this way will be found equally acceptable.I asked for this amendment on Second Reading and requested it from the Home Secretary in the discussions that I had with him. The Home Secretary was good enough to tell me that he would meet that request. The amendment fulfils that undertaking and I thank the Government for making an important improvement in the Bill.
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for being helpful. He suggested this amendment at an earlier stage. It concerned another of those cases where one could not incorporate in the Bill the precise wording of the White Paper, but we knew what we wanted to attain and we have attained it.
Question put and agreed to.