POWERS OF ENTRY (Hansard, 12 May 1999)

§ Mr. Ingram
I beg to move amendment No. 1, in page 3, line 43, at end insert— '(4) In this section "premises" includes any place.'. Clause 6 gives powers to resident magistrates and justices of the peace in Great Britain to issue warrants authorising the police to enter and search premises where there is reason to believe that the remains of a victim might be found. However, the Bill does not contain a definition of "premises". There is a risk that, without a definition, "premises" might be interpreted narrowly as covering only buildings and land with buildings of some type on it.
It is possible, however, that searches for the remains of victims may have to take place in fields that, while forming part of a farm, are separate from the land on which the farm buildings are situated. Therefore, we want to ensure that the power in clause 6 to grant a warrant in respect of any "premises" is exercisable in respect of land on which there are no structures. The amendment therefore defines "premises" widely, so as to include any place.

§ Mr. Hogg
Will the Minister just clarify something? He is obviously right to want to enlarge the meaning of "premises". Would the word "place" include, for example, a ship and an agricultural hopper that is used for the storage of grain? Those are not buildings. They are not land. A ship is a structure. A hopper is a structure on land. Is the word "place" apt to include everything?

§ Mr. Ingram
I am glad that the right hon. and learned Gentleman thinks that I am right to introduce the amendment. It is nice to get my score card marked up in that way. My understanding and the advice that I have is that the term—it is a legalistic term—does mean any place; we have broadened the definition to mean any place.
Knowing lawyers, they may want to chew over all that further. For the sake of argument, they may try to define that further, but I think that we have covered everything.
372 I hope that it does not become a matter of dispute because the measure is about trying to ensure that no inhibitions are placed on the recovery of the remains, wherever they may be.