Member

Amendment 207, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, and the noble Lord, Lord German, proposes the appointment of an independent reviewer to conduct a formal review of the use of civil orders to prevent serious crime. I should start by saying that the concerns set out by the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, are ones that I clearly understand. I know that there is a long history of raising such concerns, particularly those around civil powers morphing into criminal penalties. So I take seriously and understand the concerns that are being raised, and I reassure the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, and the noble Lord, Lord German, that the Government are committed to accountability and oversight in this area. We recognise that these are serious powers and we want them to be used, as the noble Baroness has suggested, in a proportionate way.