Will the hon. and learned Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. and learned Gentleman give way?

Does the hon. and learned Gentleman not accept that there is a certain contradiction between the two limbs of his argument, one of which is that the Government have had plenty of time to consider the matter since 2004, and the other of which is that he feels stampeded? He...

Does the hon. and learned Gentleman not accept that there is a certain contradiction between the two limbs of his argument, one of which is that the Government have had plenty of time to consider the matter since 2004, and the other of which is that he feels stampeded? He...

Would the hon. Gentleman be further reassured if the Government were to say that adequate time will be given to consideration of that Bill? Does he agree that the successor to this Bill and all the welcome provisions in it should not be shovelled into a portmanteau Bill considered in...

Would the hon. Gentleman be further reassured if the Government were to say that adequate time will be given to consideration of that Bill? Does he agree that the successor to this Bill and all the welcome provisions in it should not be shovelled into a portmanteau Bill considered in...

May I caution the hon. Gentleman? I understand and have some sympathy with his argument, but the House passed legislation whereby mere possession of a firearm carried a mandatory five-year sentence, save in exceptional circumstances. When the legislation went to the courts, judges adjudged almost two thirds of cases to...

May I caution the hon. Gentleman? I understand and have some sympathy with his argument, but the House passed legislation whereby mere possession of a firearm carried a mandatory five-year sentence, save in exceptional circumstances. When the legislation went to the courts, judges adjudged almost two thirds of cases to...

Will the Secretary of State briefly explain why most of the Bill does not apply to Scotland, and what they do there?

Will the Secretary of State briefly explain why most of the Bill does not apply to Scotland, and what they do there?

In the Lord Chancellor's oral statement to the House on 26 June, he said that if the Bill before us were passed, it would be repealed in the next Session and subsumed into the forthcoming law reform, victims and witnesses Bill. Will the Minister assure the House that when that...

In the Lord Chancellor's oral statement to the House on 26 June, he said that if the Bill before us were passed, it would be repealed in the next Session and subsumed into the forthcoming law reform, victims and witnesses Bill. Will the Minister assure the House that when that...

The hon. Gentleman and the hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier), who spoke before, have said that the official Opposition support in principle the reasons behind the Bill. Does not the hon. Gentleman see a contradiction in a party in official opposition wrapping itself in the Magna Carta...

The hon. Gentleman and the hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier), who spoke before, have said that the official Opposition support in principle the reasons behind the Bill. Does not the hon. Gentleman see a contradiction in a party in official opposition wrapping itself in the Magna Carta...

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that sedentary clarification. If the Government do not think that the amendments are appropriate, I hope that he will elucidate why. The right hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Mr. Hogg) has said that amendment No. 2 is...

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that sedentary clarification. If the Government do not think that the amendments are appropriate, I hope that he will elucidate why. The right hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Mr. Hogg) has said that amendment No. 2 is...

I thank the Government for Government amendment No. 41, which makes it clear that there has to be a hearing, and that no trial will be held entirely on paper, unless that is what all the parties involved agree to. I want to make some remarks about the independent counsel....

I thank the Government for Government amendment No. 41, which makes it clear that there has to be a hearing, and that no trial will be held entirely on paper, unless that is what all the parties involved agree to. I want to make some remarks about the independent counsel....

My right hon. Friend said that there was not enough time to introduce a statutory scheme under the Bill. The Bill will be subsumed into the law reform, victims and witnesses Bill in the next Session of Parliament. Will he give an indication—or, I hope, an undertaking—that he will seriously...

My right hon. Friend said that there was not enough time to introduce a statutory scheme under the Bill. The Bill will be subsumed into the law reform, victims and witnesses Bill in the next Session of Parliament. Will he give an indication—or, I hope, an undertaking—that he will seriously...

I only did two years of academic law study—I did not get to the third year. Does the hon. Gentleman see the test in clause 4(6) about"““reasonable fear on the part of the witness””" as a subjective or an objective test, or an unholy mixture of the two? If, as...

I only did two years of academic law study—I did not get to the third year. Does the hon. Gentleman see the test in clause 4(6) about"““reasonable fear on the part of the witness””" as a subjective or an objective test, or an unholy mixture of the two? If, as...

Might not a witness who has been called by one defendant apply for an order because he is worried about another defendant, represented by a different counsel? The defendant who has called him might say, ““It wasn't me who caused the affray, it was so-and-so, and here's a witness.””

Might not a witness who has been called by one defendant apply for an order because he is worried about another defendant, represented by a different counsel? The defendant who has called him might say, ““It wasn't me who caused the affray, it was so-and-so, and here's a witness.””