§ Lords amendment: No. 20, in page 29, line 12, leave out "In so far as" and insert "Where".
1221§ Mr. McLoughlinI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.
§ Mr. SpeakerWith this, it will be convenient to consider Lords amendments Nos. 21, 22 and 39.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe amendments have their origins in an amendment to what is now clause 25, which was moved in Committee by the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn).
The amendments to clause 25(4) and the equivalent amendment to the Aviation Security Act 1982 provide that a person receiving a direction which requires searches to be carried out or other measures to be taken by the police should inform the local chief officer of police or, in Northern Ireland, the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary if the direction requires the searches or other measures to be undertaken by armed police.
Directions proposing the arming of police are likely to be issued infrequently; none has been issued under the powers of the 1982 Act. Nevertheless, I am sure that hon. Members will agree that it would be wise to have this power available in case urgent and direct action is necessary in the event of an increased threat of a terrorist act.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Lords amendments Nos. 21 to 34 agreed to.