New Clause 5
Fraud (Trials Without a Jury) Bill
7:30 pm
Dominic Grieve (Shadow Attorney General & Shadow Spokesman On Community Cohesion, Law Officers (Assist the Home Affairs Team); Beaconsfield, Conservative)
Yes. As I say, the Government have not come up with the proposal, although in the past they have floated it. In fairness to them, the proposal has on the whole received a frosty reception from the Opposition parties. However, before it was too late and we ended up with what I anticipate will be a great confrontation between the Lords and the Commons, I wanted to tease out how far the Government’s give might go on such an issue. If I may say to the hon. and learned Gentleman, the Solicitor-General, I do so in a conciliatory spirit and not to wrong-foot him.
I appreciate that the Solicitor-General may disagree with the principle of the proposal or with the number of lay assessors, and that he may come up with arguments, which I prefer to have on record, about why the course of action is considered impractical, unwise or unnecessary. However, I should not wish this Committee to be completed without our having an opportunity to consider the motion.
I shall now sit down. My one regret is that we have not had the opportunity of considering a proposal for special juries, which would commend itself to me so very much more.