Clause 3 - General requirements for service of process
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [Lords]
2:30 pm
Lady Lady Hermon (North Down, UUP)
The hon. Gentleman is making a valid and valuable point, especially as it is supported by the Human Rights Act 1998, with which he will be most familiar. Under article 6, everyone in this country is entitled to a fair trial. That specifies that
''Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following minimum rights . . . to be informed promptly, in a language which he understands and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him''.
Whether or not the hon. Gentleman is dancing on a pin, he is making a valid point about the proper understanding of the charge against a defendant.