Before my noble friend replies, I add one element that is not moral but may be more economic. My noble friend uses the word "exploitation". Normally the consumer is unable to exploit; the producer may exploit the consumer, but it is very difficult for the consumer, with monopoly power, to do that. The Government want to punish the consumer for having exploited, because the exploiter is the producer whom the Government cannot catch. So it seems that if you catch the consumer you will by implication catch the person who is the real criminal. That is a bizarre way of doing business.
Policing and Crime Bill
Proceeding contribution from
Lord Desai
(Labour)
in the House of Lords on Wednesday, 1 July 2009.
It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL)
and
Debate on bills on Policing and Crime Bill.
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
712 c269 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
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Timestamp
2024-04-21 12:24:49 +0100
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