Clause 3
Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill
12:30 pm
Douglas Hogg (Sleaford and North Hykeham, Conservative)
I am rising to support my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield. To begin with, let us put an end to the idea of full criminality going before a court. It is a thoroughly bad concept. Anybody who knows anything about judicial processes knows that it is deprecated by the judges: they do not want to have full criminality brought before them as it extends trials unnecessarily. Let us put an end to that nonsense—I know that it comes from the Home Office, but it is nonsense.
Much more importantly, this is ultimately a matter of democracy. [Interruption.] I am sorry, I have something stuck in my throat. I wish it were whisky. We have been reminded by the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey that legislation that will affect the legal system in Northern Ireland is about to go through the House. The process will inevitably be attended very closely by Northern Ireland Members. Most importantly, they will be heavily represented at the Committee stage. Whether the benefits of these provisions should be extended to Northern Ireland is essentially a matter for Northern Ireland representatives. They are necessarily squeezed out of the process on this Bill because of their limited number and the fact that the main thrust of the Bill is directed towards England and Wales. They have every right to feel excluded. I therefore entirely agree with the point made by the hon. Gentleman and my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield that the matter should be dealt with in legislation that applies exclusively to Northern Ireland, so that the hon. Memberswho represent that Province have an opportunity comprehensively to put their arguments.