Clause 41 - Disqualification of lay justices who
Courts Bill [Lords]
3:30 pm
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
As the Minister says, there was a lot of debate about that issue in another place, and it will not be helpful to repeat it all this afternoon. We took the view—it may be that the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome, whose noble Friends are also involved in debating the matter, does so too—that it would have been better if the judgment taken by another place had been allowed to rest. We are disappointed that the Government have chosen to reverse it, but we understand where the Minister is coming from. He says that the Joint Committee is content and that the Government do not want to second guess, or undermine, the judgment of the Joint Committee.
Having said we are disappointed that the Government have chosen to reverse the decision of another place, it would not be helpful to go over that ground again. I will restrict my remarks to saying that I suspect that we may have to go back to the matter on Report, if we still feel that that would achieve something positive. At this stage, I leave my remarks at that.
Amendment agreed to.
Question proposed, That the clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill.