Clause 7 - Time limit for prosecution of offences
European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Christopher Leslie (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs; Shipley, Labour)
I assure the hon. Gentleman that I shall reflect on his point. I am sure that the drafting is correct, but I shall do what he asks.
The clause provides that magistrates courts can be given a power to allow in exceptional circumstances on
application from the police or a prosecutor an extension of time within which a prosecution must be commenced up to a maximum of 24 months after the date of the offence. Current legislation allows only 12 months. This is an important, albeit modest step forward in improving security measures in the Bill.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill.