Hain: Under fire

The leader of the Commons has defended the amount of time being given to debate the Prevention of Terrorism Bill.

Speaking at business questions on Thursday, Peter Hain said the plan to introduce control orders on terror suspects is being given "adequate scrutiny".

Amid criticism from MPs that the House of Lords is getting more time to debate the Bill than their own elected chamber, the Cabinet minister claimed this was not the case.

Liberal Democrat spokesman Paul Tyler asked Hain to assert the "primacy" of the Commons over the second chamber.

Tyler complained that the decision to rush the Bill through its committee stage and third reading in one day, contrasted with the extra time it was getting in the upper house. He 
slammed the "very few hours to discuss amendments to this important bill".

"Elected MPs, rather than unelected peers, should take decisions on these matters," he said.

"How can he stand up and defend the contempt for this house that other ministers are showing?"

Sovereignty

Hain replied that he was "very happy to repeat my often stated view that the House of Commons is the prime and sovereign body, above the House of Lords, in parliament".

He said the Bill had been delayed by the need for consultations with the Conservative and Liberal Democrat leaders and needs to be finalised by March 14, when the current legislation lapses.

And he added that MPs would have the opportunity to debate any alterations the Lords makes as well as any further government amendments.

However the Commons chief claimed it was wrong to say this bill had received less time in the lower house than similar measures.

"This is not a question of this bill not being given adequate scrutiny, it will have been given at least 17 hours scrutiny in the Commons," Hain said.

"An 11 clause bill, with 17 hours of scrutiny in the Commons is quite in line with other emergency legislation. In some respects actually more."