Counter-Terrorism Bill

I am sorry that the Minister’s reply is quite so negative, because by the time that we have debated the Coroners Bill in both Houses and it receives Royal Assent, four years will have passed since the death of Azelle Rodney. I may be missing something here, but I do not think that I am. If a High Court judge was sitting as a coroner and decided that public interest immunity was served by nondisclosure of facts that were particularly sensitive in either that case or the other one to which I referred, I cannot understand why the inquest cannot go ahead. I would be very sorry if the House took the attitude that it is perfectly permissible, all right and something that we should not question that an inquest can take four years, or more, to come to pass. It does not matter whether the inquest is of someone who was undertaking criminal activity or not. We now have not just one but a second person who was shot by the police. They may have been taking part in criminal activity, but their deaths are still liable to be properly investigated by an inquest. They are not being investigated because the Government will not take them forward, prevent the coroner from undertaking them and then say, ““You will have to wait until more legislation is in place””. That is not a satisfactory position for the Government to take. It is not only a question of natural justice for the families. When it was one case, it was really worrying. Now it is two cases; it seems that the Government are drifting into a habit on this. The House should be challenging that. I will withdraw this amendment in Committee, but the Minister should not feel confident that I will not bring it back on Report, because I shall. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 81 negatived. Clause 82 [Amendment of definition of ““terrorism”” etc]: On Question, Whether Clause 82 shall stand part of the Bill?