Clause 46 - Power to transfer criminal cases
Courts Bill [Lords]
12:00 pm
Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath, Conservative)
I am grateful to the Minister for the helpful way in which he began his response. Does he accept that in some situations, someone might be regarded as being within the general category of a victim of a crime, without necessarily being automatically regarded as a party to criminal proceedings? Parties to criminal proceedings are the prosecution and the defence. I hope that, as part of his his sympathetic response, the hon. Gentleman will consider the fact that one of the difficulties is that often the victim of a crime may be a witness, but not a party to the proceedings. I am sure that he will understand the significance of that argument.