§ Lord Lester of Herne Hillasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the speeches of the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 March (H.L. Deb., cols. 1115–17 and 1119), whether they consider that the exemptions for media intrusion upon personal privacy contained in Clause 31 of the Data Protection Bill will be required to be interpreted and applied by the courts in accordance with the European legal principles of proportionality and legal certainty. [HL1299]
§ Lord Williams of MostynYes. According to the consistent case law of the European Court of Justice, in the application of Community law the guiding principles, which include proportionality and legal certainty, must be observed by the courts.