Police and Justice Bill

Well, I never like to disappoint the Minister. I carefully couched the general welcome of protection of individuals. The noble Lord, Lord Bassam, who has been handling the Bill so ably from the government Benches—from their point of view and ours too—knows that I asked about searches by teachers, as one subsection appeared to give a general power of search. I did not receive an answer. It sounds as though the power that Mr McNulty may outline will be a reaffirmation of that. If the Government are going to introduce a much wider power of search, everybody will have to look at the implications. So the Minister is right: I welcome the objective but I look at the means to get there very carefully, with no hostage to fortune quite yet, I hope.