Part of Criminal Justice Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 11:15 am on 28 January 2003.
David Heath
Shadow Spokesperson (Trade and Industry), Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs)
11:15,
28 January 2003
The hon. Lady, as always, is extremely helpful in assisting the Committee to understand the provisions.
I do not think that I need to say a great deal. I look forward to the Minister's reply. We should mitigate the responsibility of the judicial and policing authorities whenever possible to reduce the fear of intimidation and of pressure being put on witnesses or potential witnesses. The insertion of the words suggested in the Amendment would make it explicit in the Bill that the first responsibility would be to allow the witness to give evidence free of fear; the second would be to provide an avenue for that evidence to be adduced under other circumstances.
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