HL Deb 15 February 1990 vol 515 cc1471-3

3.38 p.m.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

My Lords, I beg to move that the Bill be now read a third time. Throughout our proceedings on the Bill, all of your Lordships who have spoken have expressed support for the broad principles of the Bill, and I am indeed grateful for that. Moreover, all of your Lordships have always been unwavering in your determination to support measures which are intended to strengthen the fight against international crime —and drug trafficking in particular. These are areas where party affiliation does not matter; but they are areas where we must present a united front in tackling the serious problems which confront us.

I am especially grateful to the noble Lords, Lord Mishcon and Lord Harris, both for the constructive support which they have given from their respective Benches for this measure, and for the customary courtesy which they have exhibited during the passage of the Bill through your Lordships' House. All the questions which they have put and the points which have been made during the course of our debates have been aimed at improving the effectiveness of the Bill. I am grateful to them for that fact.

There is one further specific matter upon which I must express my gratitude to your Lordships. This concerns the patience and the forbearance with which the growth of the Bill has been witnessed during its present passage through your Lordships' House and the way in which it has been received. When the Bill was first introduced it had 14 clauses. It is with some embarrassment that I have to report that it has now nearly doubled in size and stands at 26 clauses.

Perhaps I may again apologise to your Lordships for any apparent discourtesy of which I may have been guilty, through having introduced an incomplete Bill. I explained the reason why the Government acted in this way during our debate on Second Reading. Our view was that the most important consideration of all was that the United Kingdom should ratify the Vienna Convention as soon as possible. We were sure that your Lordships would support this objective and of course you have done so at least this far, and for that I am grateful.

The Bill will enable the United Kingdom to ratify two important international conventions: one on mutual assistance in criminal matters drawn up as long ago as 1957; the other, the Vienna Drugs Convention, drawn up little more than a year ago. In one case the Bill enables us to catch up with our European partners from a position in which we are a long way behind the field. In the other we are one of the leaders of the field not only in Europe but throughout the world. Each will provide us with important tools to help us to co-operate with other countries in the fight against crime.

This measure will not solve the problem of international crime —it would be foolish to claim that —but it is and will prove to be, I venture to think, a very useful weapon in our armoury. As such I commend it to your Lordships.

Lord Mishcon

My Lords, the Minister Is absolutely right. There are no divisions between us, I imagine, in any part of the House. Our endeavour will be to co-operate and to see that international crime, which is now of a grievous order whether in regard to drugs, terrorism or similar matters, will be subject to a common fight by the Government, by the Opposition and by those who sit on the independent Benches. It was my happy task to try to help the Bill through its stages. I merely wish to add a word of thanks for the courtesy of the Minister.

Lord Diamond

My Lords, I wish to underline that courtesy. I draw attention to what the Minister said, as I understood it, that where, as in this case, a Bill was introduced which was not complete, as is shown by its history, that was the responsibility of the Minister himself. It was not that of the civil servants, who have been criticised in this House quite improperly on an occasion like this. They were criticised improperly and at length only yesterday.

Earl Ferrers

My Lords, I am grateful to both noble Lords for their remarks. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, for saying that this is a common fight in which we are all participants. That is so. We shall continue, I know, on all sides to carry on this fight against drug trafficking and crime.

The noble Lord, Lord Diamond, is wholly correct. In so far as a Minister introduces an incomplete Bill, it is the Minister's responsibility. I accept responsibility for the fact that the Bill was incomplete and I apologise to your Lordships for that. I am grateful to noble Lords for the understanding that they have shown which will enable us to ratify the convention. That would not otherwise have been the case.

Moved, That the Bill be now read a third time. —(Earl Ferrers.)

On Question, Bill read a third time.

An amendment (privilege) made.

On Question, Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.