My Lords, as the noble Lord knows, and as has been indicated by the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, we intend to look at how and when the procedure for special advocates will be dealt with. I intend to deal with that in a little while. Your Lordships will know, for...

My Lords, as the noble Lord knows, and as has been indicated by the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, we intend to look at how and when the procedure for special advocates will be dealt with. I intend to deal with that in a little while. Your Lordships will know, for...

My Lords, the noble and learned Baroness referred to test purchases as one of the circumstances in which it might be necessary to provide anonymity in a magistrates’ court. Is the suggestion that witnesses would be threatened with violence or that they would be identified and therefore be less useful...

My Lords, the noble and learned Baroness referred to test purchases as one of the circumstances in which it might be necessary to provide anonymity in a magistrates’ court. Is the suggestion that witnesses would be threatened with violence or that they would be identified and therefore be less useful...

My Lords, if noble Lords look at Condition A, they will see that that is the fourth species dealt with, because it is in the interests of justice that those who undertake undercover processes or need the cloak of anonymity for that reason should have it. I believe that there...

My Lords, if noble Lords look at Condition A, they will see that that is the fourth species dealt with, because it is in the interests of justice that those who undertake undercover processes or need the cloak of anonymity for that reason should have it. I believe that there...

My Lords, will the noble and learned Baroness assure us that, in preparing the forthcoming Bill, she will consider setting up a code of practice, as we have with other important areas where the police interrogate witnesses, as opposed to simple guidelines? It is just as important to have a...

My Lords, will the noble and learned Baroness assure us that, in preparing the forthcoming Bill, she will consider setting up a code of practice, as we have with other important areas where the police interrogate witnesses, as opposed to simple guidelines? It is just as important to have a...

My Lords, I certainly hear what the noble Lord says. We have found it incredibly helpful that the whole process adopted in relation to this Bill has been consensual, helpful and collaborative. We hope that that same process continues as we seek together to try to craft something that will...

My Lords, I certainly hear what the noble Lord says. We have found it incredibly helpful that the whole process adopted in relation to this Bill has been consensual, helpful and collaborative. We hope that that same process continues as we seek together to try to craft something that will...

My Lords, does not the noble and learned Baroness agree that if the backstop were precise and not capable of extension, it would strengthen departmental bidding for parliamentary time and concentrate minds extremely well?

My Lords, does not the noble and learned Baroness agree that if the backstop were precise and not capable of extension, it would strengthen departmental bidding for parliamentary time and concentrate minds extremely well?

My Lords, my noble kinswoman Lady Walmsley revealed to the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, in the Chamber the other day that I have the eyes of a separate character. No doubt he is used to a fixed and unremitting, unforgiving glare from one eye about government legislation. That is my...

My Lords, my noble kinswoman Lady Walmsley revealed to the noble Lord, Lord Hunt, in the Chamber the other day that I have the eyes of a separate character. No doubt he is used to a fixed and unremitting, unforgiving glare from one eye about government legislation. That is my...

My Lords, I thank the right honourable gentleman the Secretary of State for Justice and his ministerial team for involving the Opposition during the preparation of the Bill. I believe the same is true of the Liberal Democrats. In particular, we were given the opportunity to comment on the legislation...

My Lords, I thank the right honourable gentleman the Secretary of State for Justice and his ministerial team for involving the Opposition during the preparation of the Bill. I believe the same is true of the Liberal Democrats. In particular, we were given the opportunity to comment on the legislation...

My Lords, of course I hear what the noble Viscount says, but two species of cases would cause us difficulty if we did that. There seems to be general assent that the use of test purchases as a means of identifying levels of criminality in relation to drugs and other...

My Lords, of course I hear what the noble Viscount says, but two species of cases would cause us difficulty if we did that. There seems to be general assent that the use of test purchases as a means of identifying levels of criminality in relation to drugs and other...

My Lords, how does one make an application for an anonymity order to the magistrates’ court that is dealing with the case and will hear why a person is in fear of death or injury as a result of what the defendant has said or done? How does one deal...

My Lords, how does one make an application for an anonymity order to the magistrates’ court that is dealing with the case and will hear why a person is in fear of death or injury as a result of what the defendant has said or done? How does one deal...

My Lords, it is quite right, given the way in which things have evolved, that we do not have, before putting this into statutory form, a common standard that is applied right the way across the board. If anything, the Law Lords’ decision in Davis has given us an opportunity...

My Lords, it is quite right, given the way in which things have evolved, that we do not have, before putting this into statutory form, a common standard that is applied right the way across the board. If anything, the Law Lords’ decision in Davis has given us an opportunity...

My Lords, the noble and learned Baroness referred earlier to serious cases. She has not really dealt with the point raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Mallalieu, that the Bill is not limited to those. Would the noble and learned Baroness be prepared to bring forward amendments to remove magistrates’...

My Lords, the noble and learned Baroness referred earlier to serious cases. She has not really dealt with the point raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Mallalieu, that the Bill is not limited to those. Would the noble and learned Baroness be prepared to bring forward amendments to remove magistrates’...

My Lords, this has been a constructive debate. I warmly welcome the support we have received from all sides of the House and the broad consensus that the problem of witness intimidation is a serious one. I am particularly indebted to the noble Lord, Lord Goodlad, for his erudite exposition...

My Lords, this has been a constructive debate. I warmly welcome the support we have received from all sides of the House and the broad consensus that the problem of witness intimidation is a serious one. I am particularly indebted to the noble Lord, Lord Goodlad, for his erudite exposition...

My Lords, I do not wish to prolong the debate, but I do not know whether the noble Lord is aware that I put this to the Director of Public Prosecutions when I said that I could not understand why gravity of offence was in any way significant since it...

My Lords, I do not wish to prolong the debate, but I do not know whether the noble Lord is aware that I put this to the Director of Public Prosecutions when I said that I could not understand why gravity of offence was in any way significant since it...

My Lords, I am most grateful, as I always am, for the noble Lord’s intervention. I was not aware of his conversation with the Director of Public Prosecutions. For what it is worth, my view is that gravity ought to be included in the Bill. We will have an opportunity...

My Lords, I am most grateful, as I always am, for the noble Lord’s intervention. I was not aware of his conversation with the Director of Public Prosecutions. For what it is worth, my view is that gravity ought to be included in the Bill. We will have an opportunity...

My Lords, I am very grateful to my noble friend. Clearly yet another amendment will have to be prepared before next week.

My Lords, I am very grateful to my noble friend. Clearly yet another amendment will have to be prepared before next week.

My Lords, before my noble friend sits down for the third time, for which I apologise, she will not be pleased to hear that the definition of ““court”” in Clause 12(1)(a) includes magistrates’ courts.

My Lords, before my noble friend sits down for the third time, for which I apologise, she will not be pleased to hear that the definition of ““court”” in Clause 12(1)(a) includes magistrates’ courts.

My Lords, I apologise to the noble Lord if he feels that I was suggesting for one moment that he would bow to political pressure, but I think that a degree of political pressure is applied to political parties, particularly in another place, and understandably so. I have read the...

My Lords, I apologise to the noble Lord if he feels that I was suggesting for one moment that he would bow to political pressure, but I think that a degree of political pressure is applied to political parties, particularly in another place, and understandably so. I have read the...

My Lords, has the noble Baroness read the various reports of the Joint Committee on Human Rights? It is all-party and beyond party, and is not controlled by the Government. All its members are keen to promote human rights and they are all keen to preserve the balance between liberty...

My Lords, has the noble Baroness read the various reports of the Joint Committee on Human Rights? It is all-party and beyond party, and is not controlled by the Government. All its members are keen to promote human rights and they are all keen to preserve the balance between liberty...

My Lords, I am very much aware of that. I have read the helpful briefing that Liberty has sent, but I disagree with it. I appreciate that Ministers and leaders of all political parties are in a difficult position. Many people’s instincts would be to take the line that I...

My Lords, I am very much aware of that. I have read the helpful briefing that Liberty has sent, but I disagree with it. I appreciate that Ministers and leaders of all political parties are in a difficult position. Many people’s instincts would be to take the line that I...