I believe that it is right to provide for this power and authority. It is subject to a form of accountability and, of course, the intelligence commissioner will have an interest in these matters. We are trying to seek his view on this, in his role as a Government Minister. I accept that my noble friend Lord Astor and I have put forward hypothetical cases here, but they are hypothetical examples that nevertheless reflect two very real situations. There is little room for equivocation, given that these were real situations that are now part of our history.
Grey zones apply in such cases.
The question for the Secretary of State to consider in such circumstances would be whether it would amount to a sufficiently serious threat to the economic well-being of this country. In those circumstances, the Secretary of State would then have to consider whether the issue of a warrant was necessary. The matter is simple and turns on a proportionate reaction to a given set of circumstances. The element of proportionality would form an important part of any decision reached by the Secretary of State. The noble Lord spoke of the kind of warrants he has had to sign as they related to terrorism.