UK MEASURES WILL BECOME LAW
UK measures will become law
TOUGH new counter-terrorism measures prompted by the Omagh bombing were on course last night to become law in Britain despite continuing concerns at Westminster.
The House of Lords was due to complete its scrutiny of the draconian package in just one sitting which began yesterday afternoon after the measures went through the Commons in a 16-hour session ending just before 7am yesterday.
MPs of all parties were angry at the rush. Many warned its provisions would lead to miscarriages of justice.
Although there was no risk of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Bill not becoming law, the Lords also looked likely to sit late, probably into the early hours.
Thirty-nine peers had put down their names to speak in the second reading debate, which was to be followed by line-by-line committee stage consideration and a third reading.
There is no time limit at any of the stages. There will be a 20-minute suspension after the second reading where new amendments can be tabled.
If peers make any changes to the bill, they will have to be considered and accepted or rejected by MPs in the Commons. The end of the process will come when royal assent is announced in both houses. The government wants to get the bill on the statute book today in a bid to step up pressure on paramilitary splinter groups.
The bill aims to make it easier to prosecute people for membership of banned groups - the Real IRA, the Continuity IRA, the INLA and the LVF - and to prevent people from conspiring to commit crimes abroad.
MPs complained that the timetable gave them too little time to give the legislation proper scrutiny.
Two Liberal Democrat peers tabled a series of amendments attacking details of the legislation, including the decision to include provisions to tackle conspiracy to commit crimes abroad.
TOUGH new counter-terrorism measures prompted by the Omagh bombing were on course last night to become law in Britain despite continuing concerns at Westminster.
The House of Lords was due to complete its scrutiny of the draconian package in just one sitting which began yesterday afternoon after the measures went through the Commons in a 16-hour session ending just before 7am yesterday.
MPs of all parties were angry at the rush. Many warned its provisions would lead to miscarriages of justice.
Although there was no risk of the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Bill not becoming law, the Lords also looked likely to sit late, probably into the early hours.
Thirty-nine peers had put down their names to speak in the second reading debate, which was to be followed by line-by-line committee stage consideration and a third reading.
There is no time limit at any of the stages. There will be a 20-minute suspension after the second reading where new amendments can be tabled.
If peers make any changes to the bill, they will have to be considered and accepted or rejected by MPs in the Commons. The end of the process will come when royal assent is announced in both houses. The government wants to get the bill on the statute book today in a bid to step up pressure on paramilitary splinter groups.
The bill aims to make it easier to prosecute people for membership of banned groups - the Real IRA, the Continuity IRA, the INLA and the LVF - and to prevent people from conspiring to commit crimes abroad.
MPs complained that the timetable gave them too little time to give the legislation proper scrutiny.
Two Liberal Democrat peers tabled a series of amendments attacking details of the legislation, including the decision to include provisions to tackle conspiracy to commit crimes abroad.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/234
Published Date: 04-Sep-98
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