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Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill

I hear what my hon. Friend says. We have been careful in relation to the Bill. We brought forward, as we promised, a stand-alone Bill. In Committee, there were suggestions from the Opposition that we should go further and extend the opportunities for non-jury trials. It was proposed that there should be so-called equality of arms and that the defence should also have the opportunity to ask for a non-jury trial. We took the view that we have indicated to Members such as my hon. Friend, who have said that they want us to go so far but no further, that that is our view, and so we do not propose to go further in the Bill and extend the provisions to the defence. By its nature, that would mean that there would be more non-jury trials, or at least the opportunity for more non-jury trials. We have therefore taken the view that we will not extend the provisions to the defence.