Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill
10:45 am
David Hanson (Minister of State, Ministry of Justice; Delyn, Labour)
I should like to respond to some of the points raised as I would not want the Committee to take all of them at face value. There is a strong Government defence for some of those issues.
First, I say to the hon. and learned Member for Harborough that any witness who gives evidence to the Committee will have the opportunity to raise points with the Government, the Opposition and individual Labour Members, in order to influence the Bill’s progress. Some issues may be raised during evidence sessions that we are not able to act upon during the Bill’s initial consideration. However, the hon. and learned Gentleman will know that there is not only the Committee stage, there is also Report, proceedings in the other place, and Third Reading—there is a whole range of mechanisms through which we can absorb the views that are put. If the Government and hon. Members believe that the points raised are valid, we will consider and accept them.