Bribery Bill [HL]

My Lords, when introducing these amendments the Minister referred to the fact that we had grappled in Committee, and subsequently, with the difficult questions that this particular legislation throws up. To some extent, we have seen today that the grappling is not yet entirely over. I gratefully adopt what my noble and learned friend Lord Mackay of Clashfern said just now. I believe that what we have here finds a clever way round some really difficult questions. In an imperfect world, we need to have intelligence services; equally, it is very important that our intelligence services should stay within the law, as must all agencies of the state if we are to uphold the rule of law, as we must. There has to be a measure of ministerial accountability and oversight, and that is found here. I believe that this represents a clever compromise on the part of the Government and, if I may say so, the parliamentary draftsmen. It was entirely legitimate for the Minister to say, in introducing this group of amendments on 18 March: ""The defence now provides a secure legal footing for the activities of the services concerned, while ensuring an appropriate level of oversight and accountability".—[Official Report, Commons, 18/3/10; col. 148.]" Looking forward as we all do to the guidance that will be issued, which will be important for the reasons that have been mentioned, it is a great pleasure for me—after the rather turbulent 24 hours that the Government have sustained—to be able to congratulate them on what they have done.