Second day HoC Committee - Terrorism Bill 2005
The ridiculously widely drafted Clause 5 Preparation of terrorist acts has not been amended by the Committee of the whole House of Commons.
Home Office Minister Paul Goggins, pehaps the most reasonable and least objectionable of the Home Office Ministers, failed to convince us of the Government's case.
Incredibly, the Opposition have let this through "on the nod" without a vote.
Rob Marris (Labour Wolverhampton South West) made some good points about how , for example, a chemistry lecturer was to determine whether or not he should be suspicious of one of his pupils or not, without commiting a criminal offence.
Veteran left wing Labour rebel Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) made some perfectly reasonable points about about "attendance at places of terrorist training", givining examples of community centres, or mosques or international refugee camps, where only part of the premises or site may actually be abused for such training, or where the enemies and opponents of the people in such places merely allege that terrorist training takes place. The Bill as presented would criminalise people who were there without intending to receive such training.
How are you meant to know where all the "places of terroirst training" , or "training camps" are in the entire world, so that you can avoid going there ? The Government does not seem to be planning to publish a list of them.
Nobody bothered to mention the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health training material.
Home Office Minister Paul Goggins, again failed to convince us of the Government's case, but the lobby fodder turned up to support him anyway:
Clauses 6 and 7
Opposition amendment 58 was lost 219 Ayes versus 315 Noes.
Opposition amendment 59 was lost 223 Ayes versus 316 Noes.