Clause 73 - Urgent investigative steps
Criminal Justice Bill
5:45 pm
Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
The hon. Member for Stafford has been helpful, and he shares my interpretation of an investigation as meaning actions subject to clause 72(3) in pursuit of an investigation. I lost contact with him when he said that the work might have started before the authorisation, because I would argue that
the police cannot start until the authorisation is given. It certainly would be helpful if the Minister changed the wording so that we are clear as to what we are talking about. Are we are talking about actions in pursuit of an investigation that would otherwise be unlawful under clause 72(3) or the investigation as a whole?