NOTICES OF AMENDMENTS

given up to and including

Thursday 7th July 2005

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New Amendments handed in are marked thus *

CONSIDERATION OF BILL

RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS HATRED BILL

NEW CLAUSES

Blasphemy and blasphemous libel

   

Dr Evan Harris

NC1

To move the following Clause:—

'The offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel are abolished.'.

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Protection of freedom of expression

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

NC2

To move the following Clause:—

'Nothing in Part 3 of the Public Order Act 1986 (c. 64) shall be read or given effect in a way which restricts or prohibits freedom of speech or expression on any matter of religious belief or lack of religious belief, unless the tone or content of such speech or expression is such as to constitute a justification for violent acts against any group of persons defined by reference to religious belief or lack of religious belief.'.

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Consequential amendment: powers of arrest

   

Mr Secretary Clarke

NC3

To move the following Clause:—

'In section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c.60) (arrest without warrant by persons other than constables) after subsection (4) add—

    "(5)   This section does not apply in relation to an offence under Part 3 of the Public Order Act 1986.".'.

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Protection for criticism, ridicule, etc.

   

Dr Tony Wright

NC4

To move the following Clause:—

'Nothing in Part 3 of the Public Order Act 1986 (c. 64) shall be read as creating offences that involve material that criticises or ridicules or causes offence.'.

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Mr Alistair Carmichael
Lynne Featherstone
Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

1

Page     1,     line     3     [Clause     1],     leave out from 'Act' to end of line 7.

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NEW SCHEDULE

   

Mr Alistair Carmichael
Lynne Featherstone
Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

NS1

To move the following Schedule:—

'Racial hatred

1	Part 3 of the Public Order Act 1986 (c. 64) (racial hatred offences) has effect subject to the following amendment.

2	Section 17 of the Public Order Act is amended to read as follows—

"(1)	In this Part 'racial hatred' means hatred against a racial group, of persons defined by reference (whether directly or indirectly) to colour, race, nationality, (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins ('a racial group').

(2)	In this section—

(a)   'an indirect reference' means a reference to religion or religious belief or to a person's membership or presumed membership of a religious group as a pretext for stirring up racial hatred against a racial group;

(b)   'religious group' means a group of persons defined by reference to religion or religious belief.

(3)	It shall not be an offence under this section if the activity consists of—

(a)   criticising the beliefs, teachings or practices of a religion or its followers, for example, by claiming that they are false or harmful;

(b)   proselytising one's own religion or urging followers of a different religion to cease practicing theirs;

(c)   expressing irreverent comedic comments about religion or belief; its worship, teaching, practice or observance;

(d)   expressing antipathy or dislike of particular religions or their adherents.".'.

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Mr Alistair Carmichael
Lynne Featherstone
Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

2

Page     2,     line     1,     leave out the Schedule.

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

9

Page     2,     line     12     [Schedule],     at end insert—

'17B

Groups not protected by Part 3

For the purposes of Section 17A any group of persons holding the following beliefs or lack of religious belief shall not enjoy the protection of this Part of this Act—

(a)	Satanists;

(b)	Scientologists;

(c)	believers in the need for human sacrifice to propitiate a deity;

(d)	believers in female genital mutilation to live in accordance with the rules of a religion;

(e)	believers in violence as a means of proselytising a belief;

(f)	believers in the divinely ordained supremacy of one race over another.'.

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

3

Page     2,     line     22     [Schedule],     leave out 'or religious'.

   

David Davis
Mr Dominic Grieve
David Maclean

10

Page     2,     line     23     [Schedule],     at end insert—

'(4)	In subsection (3) at end insert "but no power of arrest shall reside with any other person including any person empowered to do so by virtue of Section 110 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.".'.

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

4

Page     2,     line     30     [Schedule],     leave out 'or religious'.

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Chris Bryant

11

Page     3,     line     1     [Schedule],     leave out sub-paragraph (3) and insert—

'(3)	In subsection (1)(b), for "racial hatred" substitute "racial or religious hatred".'.

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

5

Page     3,     line     4     [Schedule],     leave out 'or religious'.

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

6

Page     3,     line     13     [Schedule],     leave out 'or religious'.

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

7

Page     3,     line     21     [Schedule],     leave out 'or religious'.

   

Mr Dominic Grieve
David Davis

8

Page     3,     line     31     [Schedule],     leave out 'or religious'.

   

Dr Evan Harris

12

*Page     3,     line     33     [Schedule],     at end insert—

'11A

After section 23, insert—

"23A

Blasphemous words, etc.

For the purposes of determining whether an offence has been committed under sections 18 to 23, it is immaterial whether the words, behaviour, written material, public performance, recording or programme is blasphemous.".'.

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ORDER OF THE HOUSE [21st JUNE 2005]

That the following provisions shall apply to the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill:

Committal

    1.   The Bill shall be committed to a Standing Committee.

Proceedings in Standing Committee

    2.   Proceedings in the Standing Committee shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion on Thursday 30th June 2005.

    3.   The Standing Committee shall have leave to sit twice on the first day on which it meets.

Consideration and Third Reading

    4.   Proceedings on consideration shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour before the moment of interruption on the day on which those proceedings are commenced.

    5.   Proceedings on Third Reading shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at the moment of interruption on that day.

    6.   Standing Order No. 83B (Programming committees) shall not apply to proceedings on consideration and Third Reading.

Other proceedings

    7.   Any other proceedings on the Bill (including any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further messages from the Lords) may be programmed.

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Prepared 7 Jul 2005