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Division No. 1

CONTENTS
Ailesbury, M.
Ailsa, M.
Aldington, L.
Allenby of Megiddo, V.
Archer of Sandwell, L.
Astor of Hever, L.
Belhaven and Stenton, L.
Berkeley, L. [Teller.]
Berners, B.
Bethell, L.
Biffen, L.
Blaker, L.
Blease, L.
Bledisloe, V.
Borrie, L.
Broughshane, L.
Bruntisfield, L.
Butterworth, L.
Cadman, L.
Caldecote, V.
Carnegy of Lour, B.
Carr of Hadley, L.
Castle of Blackburn, B.
Chadlington, L.
Clark of Kempston, L.
Cockfield, L.
Cocks of Hartcliffe, L.
Cooke of Islandreagh, L.
Cope of Berkeley, L.
Cork and Orrery, E.
Cross, V.
Cullen of Ashbourne, L.
Cumberlege, B.
Currie of Marylebone, L.
Dacre of Glanton, L.
Davidson, V.
Davies of Coity, L.
De L'Isle, V.
Dean of Beswick, L.
Dearing, L.
Denton of Wakefield, B.
Derwent, L.
Dixon, L.
Donegall, M.
Elibank, L.
Ellenborough, L.
Ewing of Kirkford, L.
Exeter, Bp.
Gallacher, L.
Gardner of Parkes, B.
Gisborough, L.
Gladwin of Clee, L.
Glentoran, L.
Gormanston, V.
Grantchester, L.
Gray, L.
Gray of Contin, L.
Grenfell, L.
Habgood, L.
Hamilton of Dalzell, L.
Hardy of Wath, L.
Harmar-Nicholls, L.
Harrowby, E.
Holderness, L.
HolmPatrick, L.
Home, E.
Hooson, L.
Hughes of Woodside, L.
Hunt of Kings Heath, L.
Hunt of Wirral, L.
Inchyra, L.
Ironside, L.
Jopling, L.
Judd, L.
Kenyon, L.
Kilbracken, L.
Kinloss, Ly.
Layton, L.
Lewis of Newnham, L.
Lofthouse of Pontefract, L.
Lyell, L.
Macclesfield, E.
McColl of Dulwich, L.
Manton, L.
Merrivale, L.
Mersey, V.
Middleton, L.
Milverton, L.
Minto, E.
Molloy, L.
Molyneaux of Killead, L.
Monkswell, L.
Montrose, D.
Morris of Castle Morris, L.
Mowbray and Stourton, L.
Murray of Epping Forest, L.
Nelson, E.
Newall, L.
Noel-Buxton, L.
Onslow of Woking, L.
Park of Monmouth, B.
Pender, L.
Perry of Southwark, B.
Peyton of Yeovil, L.
Pilkington of Oxenford, L.
Pitkeathley, B.
Plant of Highfield, L.
Prior, L.
Puttnam, L.
Radnor, E.
Rea, L.
Rees, L.
Rendell of Babergh, B.
Richardson, L.
Rogers of Riverside, L.
Saltoun of Abernethy, Ly.
Sandwich, E.
Scanlon, L.
Sefton of Garston, L.
Selkirk of Douglas, L.
Sharples, B.
Shaughnessy, L.
Shepherd, L.
Simon of Glaisdale, L.
Skelmersdale, L. [Teller.]
Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, L.
Southwell, Bp.
Stallard, L.
Stodart of Leaston, L.
Stoddart of Swindon, L.
Strathcarron, L.
Suffolk and Berkshire, E.
Taylor of Blackburn, L.
Taylor of Gryfe, L.
Tebbit, L.
Teviot, L.
Thomas of Macclesfield, L.
Tombs, L.
Trumpington, B.
Vinson, L.
Vivian, L.
Waddington, L.
Walton of Detchant, L.
Waterford, M.
Wedderburn of Charlton, L.
Westbury, L.
Wharton, B.
Young of Old Scone, B.

NOT-CONTENTS
Addington, L.
Annan, L.
Ashley of Stoke, L.
Attlee, E.
Beaumont of Whitley, L.
Beloff, L.
Blackstone, B.
Bramall, L.
Bridges, L.
Brigstocke, B.
Brookeborough, V.
Burlison, L.
Burnham, L.
Butler of Brockwell, L.
Byford, B.
Callaghan of Cardiff, L.
Calverley, L.
Carew, L.
Carmichael of Kelvingrove, L.
Carnarvon, E.
Carter, L. [Teller.]
Charteris of Amisfield, L.
Cledwyn of Penrhos, L.
Clement-Jones, L.
Coleridge, L.
Courtown, E.
Cowdrey of Tonbridge, L.
Dahrendorf, L.
Davies of Oldham, L.
Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, B.
Dholakia, L.
Dixon-Smith, L.
Dormand of Easington, L.
Dubs, L.
Dunleath, L.
Evans of Parkside, L.
Ezra, L.
Falkland, V.
Farrington of Ribbleton, B.
Fraser of Carmyllie, L.
Freyberg, L.
Gainsborough, E.
Gilbert, L.
Gordon of Strathblane, L.
Gould of Potternewton, B.
Graham of Edmonton, L.
Hacking, L.
Hampton, L.
Hamwee, B.
Hardie, L.
Harris of Greenwich, L.
Haskel, L.
Hattersley, L.
Hayman, B.
Henderson of Brompton, L.
Hollis of Heigham, B.
Hoyle, L.
Hughes, L.
Hylton, L.
Hylton-Foster, B.
Islwyn, L.
Janner of Braunstone, L.
Jay of Paddington, B.
Jenkins of Putney, L.
Kelvedon, L.
Kirkwood, L.
Knight of Collingtree, B.
Knutsford, V.
Lester of Herne Hill, L.
Ludford, B.
Luke, L.
Lytton, E.
McIntosh of Haringey, L.
Mackay of Drumadoon, L.
Mackie of Benshie, L.
McNally, L.
Maddock, B.
Mallalieu, B.
Mar and Kellie, E.
Marshall of Knightsbridge, L.
Mason of Barnsley, L.
Merlyn-Rees, L.
Mishcon, L.
Monson, L.
Mountgarret, V.
Munster, E.
Newton of Braintree, L.
Nicholson of Winterbourne, B.
O'Cathain, B.
Orr-Ewing, L.
Palmer, L.
Parry, L.
Peston, L.
Plumb, L.
Plummer of St. Marylebone, L.
Ponsonby of Shulbrede, L.
Ramsay of Cartvale, B.
Randall of St. Budeaux, L.
Rawlings, B.
Razzall, L.
Redesdale, L.
Renfrew of Kaimsthorn, L.
Renton, L.
Renwick of Clifton, L.
Richard, L. [Lord Privy Seal.]
Rochester, L.
Rodgers of Quarry Bank, L.
Rowallan, L.
Russell, E.
Sandberg, L.
Seccombe, B.
Sewel, L.
Simon, V.
Simon of Highbury, L.
Slim, V.
Smith of Clifton, L.
Smith of Gilmorehill, B.
Steel of Aikwood, L.
Strabolgi, L.
Strafford, E.
Strathclyde, L. [Teller.]
Symons of Vernham Dean, B.
Taverne, L.
Thomson of Monifieth, L.
Tomlinson, L.
Tope, L.
Tordoff, L.
Tugendhat, L.
Turner of Camden, B.
Uddin, B.
Varley, L.
Walker of Doncaster, L.
Wallace of Coslany, L.
Wallace of Saltaire, L.
Watson of Invergowrie, L.
Weatherill, L.
Whitty, L.
Wigoder, L.
Williams of Crosby, B.
Williams of Elvel, L.
Windlesham, L.
Wynford, L.

Resolved in the affirmative, and amendment agreed to accordingly.

22 Jul 1998 : Column 888

On Question, Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Northern Ireland (Sentences) Bill

3.50 p.m.

Read a third time.

Clause 3 [Applications]:

Lord Molyneaux of Killead moved Amendment No. 1:

Page 1, line 23, at end insert (", but no application by a prisoner who is or has been a member of a terrorist or proscribed organisation shall be processed before any application made by a prisoner who is not and has not been a member of such an organisation").

The noble Lord said: My Lords, in earlier debates there was a much used phrase, "We must not send the wrong signals". Care has been taken in drafting this amendment and Amendment No. 2 to ensure that the signal transmitted--

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton: My Lords, with respect, perhaps I could ask noble Lords to leave the Chamber more quietly because we cannot hear the noble Lord.

Lord Molyneaux of Killead: My Lords, the signal transmitted by these two amendments could not possibly be regarded as sending a wrong signal to any prisoner or terrorist organisation, not even those who organised this week's mortar attack on Newry Police Station. Whether they were assisted or supplied by the Provisional IRA or one of its many sub-contractors, they are not likely to be greatly intimidated by these two amendments since the prisoners referred to are in a very different time frame. The one thing they have in common is that the terrorist organisations and their numerous do-it-yourself sub-contractors perceive the Bill to be an amnesty. It is pointless to try to alter their perception. It is pointless to shake their belief that as they improve their techniques and increase their atrocities over the next decade the activists within their ranks will run no great risk, even if they are apprehended, convicted and imprisoned. They will be convinced that a future Secretary of State will come to either House and ask Parliament to approve one simple amendment to this Bill which is shortly to become an Act. The amendment would alter the date of the qualifying offence to 10th April 2003. It is a simple amendment: an alteration of date.

Amendment No. 1, and Amendment No. 2 to be moved by the noble Lord, Lord Tebbit, creates no hardship or disadvantage for those prisoners who have

22 Jul 1998 : Column 889

been convicted of terrorist acts who will benefit from the Bill. Nor does the amendment disadvantage the increasing number of terrorists who have already embarked on a long range campaign--and I quote Mr. Adams--of "doing what they do best".

The Bill prepares for the very early release of prisoners. There can surely be no great grounds of complaint over consideration being given to applications made by a prisoner who has never been a member of any terrorist organisation and thus qualifies with top marks under the four conditions for priority over all other applicants. I beg to move.

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