Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill - Committee – in the House of Lords at 1:04 pm on 23 May 2024.
Lord Offord of Garvel:
Moved by Lord Offord of Garvel
7: Clause 2, page 2, line 30, after “that,” insert “—Member's explanatory statementThis Amendment is consequential on my other amendment to this Clause.
8: Clause 2, page 2, line 31, at end insert “, or(b) where the offence was alleged to have been committed at any time during a period as mentioned in subsection (2)(b), the Horizon system was being used for the purposes of the Post Office business for the whole or part of that period.”Member's explanatory statementThis amendment ensures that, where a person was charged with an offence allegedly committed over a period of time as mentioned in Clause 2(2)(b), it is not necessary for the Horizon system to have been used for the purposes of the post office business in question for the whole of that period: for example, where the period in question straddles the date of the replacement of the Horizon system.
Amendments 7 and 8 agreed.
Clause 2, as amended, agreed.
Clause 3: Determining when a conviction has been considered by Court of Appeal
Amendments 9 to 12 not moved.
Clause 3 agreed.
Clause 4: Identification and notification of quashed convictions
Amendment 13 not moved.
Clause 4 agreed.
Clauses 5 and 6 agreed.
Amendment 14 not moved.
Clause 7 agreed.
Clause 8: Power of Secretary of State to make further consequential provision
Amendment 15 not moved.
Clause 8 agreed.
Clause 9 agreed.
Amendments 16 to 19 not moved.
Clauses 10 and 11 agreed.
House resumed.
Bill reported with amendments.
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