Jamal al-Harith Debate

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Department: Home Office

Jamal al-Harith

John Bercow Excerpts
Thursday 23rd February 2017

(7 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Ben Wallace Portrait Mr Wallace
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As I said at the very beginning, I cannot comment on the individual case or the intelligence behind it. However, as I have said, the Intelligence and Security Committee is perfectly able to look into it. The point about which Minister took the decision is a bit of a red herring. The United Kingdom Government were obliged to make certain agreements because of the vulnerability they found themselves in as a result of 2004 and the allegations made when a number of Members on your Benches were members of the Government.

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Not on my Benches. In fact, I do not have a Bench but a very comfortable Chair.

Chris Bryant Portrait Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)
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Basically, the Prime Minister, when she was Home Secretary, and/or the Justice Secretary, agreed £1 million or thereabouts for a man who went on to commit a significant terrorist act that killed many people. Why the Minister thinks that he can hide behind legal confidentiality and security so as not even to assuage any of the basic concerns that all our voters will have is a mystery to me. The man is dead, for a start, and secondly the Bill of Rights says that no proceeding in Parliament shall be impeached or questioned by any court of law or any other place. The Minister can tell us everything he wants today, if only he had the courage to do so.