To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consider the factual summary of consultation responses published on 7 December 2023 to constitute the report required by section 4 of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc.) Act 2019; on what basis they consider the statutory duty to have been fulfilled;...

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consider the factual summary of consultation responses published on 7 December 2023 to constitute the report required by section 4 of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc.) Act 2019; on what basis they consider the statutory duty to have been fulfilled;...

Lords committee stage third day. Clauses 13 to 16 agreed to. Schedule 4 agreed to. Clauses 17 to 19 agreed to. Schedule 5 agreed to. Clause 20, as amended, agreed to. Schedule 6, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 21 to 23 agreed to. Clauses 24 and 25, as amended, agreed to. Clause 26 agreed to. Clause 27, as amended, agreed to. Clause 28 agreed to. Bill reported with amendments (HL Bill 60).

Lords committee stage third day. Clauses 13 to 16 agreed to. Schedule 4 agreed to. Clauses 17 to 19 agreed to. Schedule 5 agreed to. Clause 20, as amended, agreed to. Schedule 6, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 21 to 23 agreed to. Clauses 24 and 25, as amended, agreed...

Moved by

Lord Anderson of Ipswich

81: Clause 13, page 14, line 28, after “office” insert “with the intent”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment removes an ambiguity in Clause 13 and clarifies, as recommended by the Law Commission, that the offence can be committed even where no benefit is obtained or detriment is suffered,...

Moved by

Lord Anderson of Ipswich

81: Clause 13, page 14, line 28, after “office” insert “with the intent”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment removes an ambiguity in Clause 13 and clarifies, as recommended by the Law Commission, that the offence can be committed even where no benefit is obtained or detriment is suffered,...

My Lords, we move on to Part 3 of the Bill, and I rise to speak to the first four amendments in this group, which concern misconduct in public office. I am grateful to the Minister, once again, for discussing them with me, as he promised to do.

This Government are...

My Lords, we move on to Part 3 of the Bill, and I rise to speak to the first four amendments in this group, which concern misconduct in public office. I am grateful to the Minister, once again, for discussing them with me, as he promised to do.

This Government are...

My Lords, I have put my name to the four amendments in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Anderson of Ipswich. I support the points he made. Words really matter, and particularly when one is seeking to put a common-law offence into statute, as we are doing here, great...

My Lords, I have put my name to the four amendments in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Anderson of Ipswich. I support the points he made. Words really matter, and particularly when one is seeking to put a common-law offence into statute, as we are doing here, great...

My Lords, I entirely agree with what the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, and the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, have said and endorse the reasons they have given.

My Lords, I entirely agree with what the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, and the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, have said and endorse the reasons they have given.

My Lords, I have a number of amendments in the group, and I begin with my Amendment 93. It is a modest amendment, but it addresses what I believe to be an important gap in the Bill. Its purpose is straightforward: to ensure that the new offences of seriously improper...

My Lords, I have a number of amendments in the group, and I begin with my Amendment 93. It is a modest amendment, but it addresses what I believe to be an important gap in the Bill. Its purpose is straightforward: to ensure that the new offences of seriously improper...

My Lords, I have tabled Amendments 91 and 144, also signed by my noble friend Lady Hamwee, in this group. I also signed Amendments 87, 90, 92 and 94, tabled by my noble friend Lord Marks, whom I will leave to speak to them; obviously, I support them.

Amendments 91 and...

My Lords, I have tabled Amendments 91 and 144, also signed by my noble friend Lady Hamwee, in this group. I also signed Amendments 87, 90, 92 and 94, tabled by my noble friend Lord Marks, whom I will leave to speak to them; obviously, I support them.

Amendments 91 and...

My Lords, all the amendments to Clause 13 in this group tidy up, rationalise and clarify the important new misconduct in public office offence. As the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, explained, Amendments 81, 83 and 84 make it clear that it is the intent that matters and that it is...

My Lords, all the amendments to Clause 13 in this group tidy up, rationalise and clarify the important new misconduct in public office offence. As the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, explained, Amendments 81, 83 and 84 make it clear that it is the intent that matters and that it is...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, for opening this debate.

A number of detailed but significant amendments have been proposed to Clause 13. In general, the Official Opposition may not have proposed this Bill in the first place, and it is of course for the Minister to respond...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, for opening this debate.

A number of detailed but significant amendments have been proposed to Clause 13. In general, the Official Opposition may not have proposed this Bill in the first place, and it is of course for the Minister to respond...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for their contributions to this debate. It is good that we are discussing this in prime time, rather than at 11.30 pm, or whatever it was, on Monday. It has made the debate more spirited.

I will make some preliminary remarks before I respond...

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords for their contributions to this debate. It is good that we are discussing this in prime time, rather than at 11.30 pm, or whatever it was, on Monday. It has made the debate more spirited.

I will make some preliminary remarks before I respond...

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate in support of these amendments—all of whom are highly experienced in the realities of conducting a trial. I understand that massed ranks of lawyers are not to everyone’s taste but, in this case, given the...

My Lords, I am grateful to all noble Lords who have spoken in this debate in support of these amendments—all of whom are highly experienced in the realities of conducting a trial. I understand that massed ranks of lawyers are not to everyone’s taste but, in this case, given the...

No!

No!

The ironic cheers will be noted by Hansard.

On Amendment 85, regarding the scope of the defence, I am grateful again to the Minister for his explanation. Nevertheless, I remain uncertain as to exactly why the Government felt it necessary to depart from the considered and closely reasoned recommendations of the...

The ironic cheers will be noted by Hansard.

On Amendment 85, regarding the scope of the defence, I am grateful again to the Minister for his explanation. Nevertheless, I remain uncertain as to exactly why the Government felt it necessary to depart from the considered and closely reasoned recommendations of the...

Moved by

Baroness Kramer

95: Schedule 5, page 62, line 23, at end insert—

“Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012

5 In section 10 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (civil legal services: exceptional cases), after subsection (5) insert—

“(5A) A wider public interest determination is a...

Moved by

Baroness Kramer

95: Schedule 5, page 62, line 23, at end insert—

“Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012

5 In section 10 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (civil legal services: exceptional cases), after subsection (5) insert—

“(5A) A wider public interest determination is a...

My Lords, this group of amendments contains a whole variety of different aspects of legal aid. There is such expertise in this Committee that I will confine my remarks to my own amendment, as others will speak far more effectively to the other amendments.

Amendment 95 would provide a route to...

My Lords, this group of amendments contains a whole variety of different aspects of legal aid. There is such expertise in this Committee that I will confine my remarks to my own amendment, as others will speak far more effectively to the other amendments.

Amendment 95 would provide a route to...

My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 117 and 120, in my name. Before I do so, I associate myself with the remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, and strongly support what she has just said. I am quite sure that we will be returning to these issues of...

My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 117 and 120, in my name. Before I do so, I associate myself with the remarks of the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, and strongly support what she has just said. I am quite sure that we will be returning to these issues of...

My Lords, as we heard from the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, I have Amendment 124 in this group. Arguably, it might have been better placed in the next group; if so, I apologise to the Committee for not being more on the ball. I am very grateful for the support...

My Lords, as we heard from the noble Baroness, Lady Kramer, I have Amendment 124 in this group. Arguably, it might have been better placed in the next group; if so, I apologise to the Committee for not being more on the ball. I am very grateful for the support...

My Lords, I speak on this group because there is a growing outcry for funded legal support for Windrush victims and survivors, to create a level playing field with other state scandals. For several years now, I have stood in this Chamber and called on this Government—and the previous Government—for...

My Lords, I speak on this group because there is a growing outcry for funded legal support for Windrush victims and survivors, to create a level playing field with other state scandals. For several years now, I have stood in this Chamber and called on this Government—and the previous Government—for...

My Lords, clearly, there is concern across the Committee about the issue of legal aid, and equally, the treatment of whistleblowers in the context of representation. We are not convinced at this stage that it is necessary to establish a separate route to legal aid in these cases.

Turning to Amendments...

My Lords, clearly, there is concern across the Committee about the issue of legal aid, and equally, the treatment of whistleblowers in the context of representation. We are not convinced at this stage that it is necessary to establish a separate route to legal aid in these cases.

Turning to Amendments...