Clause 18 - Evidence and procedure
Inquiries Bill [Lords]
4:30 pm
Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Shadow Minister, Home Affairs; Huntingdon, Conservative)
This is not a question of the nanny state. The amendment is a way to improve representation at inquiries. As I said, legal representation can often reduce the time taken by inquiries or other procedures in which lawyers can become involved. A good lawyer will facilitate and speed up a process, not delay it—as the popular press might have us say.
Cost estimates should include the likely costs of such legal representation. That will be consistent with what I said earlier, but it will not necessarily increase costs as a result. I disagree with what has been said. However, this is not an issue that I intend to press to a Division, so I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment