Clause 78

Coroners and Justice Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:45 pm on 5 March 2009.

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Public interest immunity

Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

Photo of Frank Cook Frank Cook Labour, Stockton North

With this it will be convenient to take Government new clause 30—Anonymity in investigations: public interest immunity.

Photo of Maria Eagle Maria Eagle Parliamentary Secretary (Government Equalities office) (also in the Ministry of Justice), The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

The new clause mirrors clause 78 for witness anonymity orders and has been drafted for reasons of consistency and clarity. Clause 78 directly re-enacts section 13 of the 2008 Act. To avoid any possible confusion between the two different areas of law, the provisions make it clear that the anonymity legislation does not affect the common law rules under public interest immunity. That is not to say that a witness anonymity order may not have effect to qualify the duty to disclose material under the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, which we discussed earlier. A witness anonymity order that includes provision requiring non-disclosure of certain identifying information will, of course, do that, as we discussed.

Photo of Edward Garnier Edward Garnier Shadow Minister (Justice)

The Minister was wise to ask me to resume my seat, so that she could make her case. I had misread new clause 30. I had thought that it was drafted in identical terms to clause 78, but that is not quite so.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause 78 accordingly ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 79 ordered to stand part of the Bill.