Clause 4
Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill
12:45 pm
Simon Hughes (Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs & Shadow Attorney General, Constitutional Affairs; North Southwark and Bermondsey, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move amendment No. 1, in clause 4, page 2, line 9, leave out ‘months’ and insert ‘years’.
It is an exciting development—the amendment is actually on the Order Paper, as opposed to having snuck up on us unawares. It is a short amendment arguing that if the legislation is passed, it should come into effect not immediately, or after two months, but after two years. Obviously, amendments such as this always contain some mischief. I own up to that. Who knows—there might be a general election within the next two years. I could have made certain that an election took place before the Act came into effect by tabling an amendment that said “four years”, but there is plenty of opportunity for such an amendment at a later stage in proceedings. That will no doubt happen.