§ Mr. WhittingdaleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Lord Lloyd of Berwick's recommendations in the report of his inquiry into legislation against terrorism. [17353]
§ Mr. HowardLord Lloyd has produced a thoughtful and comprehensive set of recommendations for new permanent counter-terrorism legislation covering the whole of the United Kingdom in the event of a lasting peace being established in Northern Ireland. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I are very grateful for this work, but in the continuing absence of a lasting peace we believe that it is too early to reach a firm view on possible fundamental legislative change. We hope that there will soon be a permanent cessation of violence which would enable us to look again at the possibility of providing a new legislative framework for combating terrorism.
The Government do, however, intend to bring forward in due course proposals to strengthen existing controls on terrorist finances, along the lines of Lord Lloyd's very helpful analysis. These proposals will include extending existing controls more widely to international terrorism.