Criminal Justice Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 3:00 pm ar 28 Ionawr 2003.
Michael Wills
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Home Office, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Criminal Justice System IT)
Broadly, none. However, let me spell out the position for the record. The Clause broadly corresponds to the present position for admitting business records and other documents under section 24 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, subject to a small drafting improvement recommended by the Law Commission. It clarifies that in cases where a
statement has been prepared with an eye to criminal proceedings, it would be admissible only if the witness who supplied the information, rather than the maker of the statement, is unavailable to give evidence.
As a class of evidence, business documents are likely to be far more inherently reliable than many other types of evidence before the courts. In many cases, there could be no better evidence than a business document compiled by someone who was knowledgeable about the matters in it, and it is widely accepted that business records constitute a particularly necessary form of evidence in many cases. We believe that reliable business documents should be automatically admissible. As a safeguard, however, the court also has the power to direct that the statement shall not be admissible as a business document when there is reason to doubt its reliability.
I hope that I have answered the hon. Gentleman's question.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 101 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
Dominic Grieve
Shadow Minister (Home Affairs)