Counter-Terrorism Bill

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Stern, and the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, for their support. I am very disappointed with the Minister’s reply because it does not take us any further forward than his response in Committee. In my opinion he has not addressed the question of why a High Court judge can assess such material in criminal procedures of every other kind when coming to a judicial view as to what material should not be disclosed, but not in inquests. I do not feel that the Government’s position is logical. The Minister took me to task by saying that it was dangerous to use a phrase like ““shoot to kill policy””, and I agree that it is. I said in my introduction that we must avoid at all costs a view on why agents of the state act in this way. However, the only way to make such a judgment is through holding an inquest to discover what actually went on. In the absence of any further explanation than we had in Committee, I have no option but to test the opinion of the House. On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 48) shall be agreed to? Their Lordships divided: Contents, 139; Not-Contents, 136. Clause 74 [Amendment of definition of ““terrorism”” etc]: