Member

Consider also the consequences on the individual, touched on very briefly by the noble Baroness. There are severe penalties for conviction of an offence under Section 12: on indictment, perhaps by a judge alone, a term of imprisonment not exceeding 14 years, and on summary conviction, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months. Leaving aside the nature of the penalties, consider the impact of such a conviction. A person convicted of such an offence would have great difficulty in travelling to America, especially at this time, with this President in the White House. Also, employment opportunities could be gravely prejudiced by such a conviction. These are not consequences that should be visited on those whose essential purpose is to criticise Israeli policy in Gaza and the West Bank. Amendment 422A is intended to address that injustice.