More than one UK news bulletin yesterday mentioned the Government's
defeat in the House of Lords on two issues, one of which was in fact
the 'library issue'. The question was: should people be guilty of an
offence if they circulate a publication encouraging terrorism, when
they have no intention of encouraging terrorism.
The House of Lords, by a large majority (234 to 134) agreed that without
intention there should be no offence. This clears the way for
continued academic study of terrorism and for British libraries of all
kinds to stock and lend related books without fear of prosecution.
A major caveat appears below, but this vote was an extraordinary
achievement for the library and academic communities who had worked
together since the autumn. The combined engine rooms were in the
British Library and Universities UK, but the pressure valves were
turned up all over the UK by persistent contact from SCONUL quarters
on influential people. The votes of non-party ('cross bench') peers
were critical.
Now comes the caveat. The Bill will return to the Commons. Will
the government, with its large majority there, seek to reverse the
Lords' decision on our point? We don't know, but at least we can
be satisfied that we could not have achieved a better result so far.
- Toby Bainton
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Toby Bainton
SCONUL (Society of College, National and University Libraries)
102 Euston Street London NW1 2HA England
Tel:020 7387 0317 (+44-20-7387-0317) Fax:020 7383 3197
(+44-20-7383-3197)
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