Clause 114 - Accused neither convicted nor acquitted

Part of Proceeds of Crime Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:45 pm on 6 December 2001.

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Photo of Bob Ainsworth Bob Ainsworth The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department 2:45, 6 December 2001

The hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Mr. Hawkins) said that his curiosity was outstripping his ability to analyse what I recognise as a complicated clause and complex amendments. I assure him that the terminology that continues to be used—after all the amendments—is ''unlawfully at large''. That is the terminology in Scotland. However, I can tell the hon. Member for Beaconsfield, in response to the substantive issue that he raised, that there is no difference whatever between its meaning and the meaning of the term that applies in England. Different Scottish terminology seems to apply in different parts of the country. Indeed, it has just been suggested to me that the meaning of the word ''abscond'' is more readily understood north of the border as ''doing a runnie''—I shall leave the hon. Gentleman to guess who passed me that note.