Joanne Bunting: Will the Minister give way?
Joanne Bunting: Thanks, Minister, for giving way. I want to seek clarification on a point. Earlier, your colleague raised the issue of people mentioning deprivation of liberty. You will be aware that, in the proposals that are to follow, there is the creation of two offences: one of directing serious and organised crime and another of participating in it. For purposes of clarification, could the Minister...
Joanne Bunting: I think the Minister knows well what I intended.
Joanne Bunting: The Minister knows well that I was seeking clarification on a point about whether those offences would invite a prison sentence. I sought clarification, and the Minister chose to twist the meaning of what I asked.
Joanne Bunting: I am grateful to the Member for giving way. We have debated this at length, and I was very clear when I spoke as Chair of the Committee and as an individual Member that we are coming to the Bill with the best of intentions: to produce an Act that has been through the proper processes and has been effectively scrutinised. We will do that in as generous and as constructive a way that we can. I...
Joanne Bunting: Will the Member give way?
Joanne Bunting: The reason why I did not specify that is that, thus far, the Committee has neither had a conversation about it nor made its decision. Until such times as the Committee has a comprehensive conversation about how it wishes to proceed, I will not stand up and make remarks on behalf of the Committee when I do not know the Committee's position.
Joanne Bunting: Will the Member give way?
Joanne Bunting: Thank you. I will resume the remarks that I was making in my capacity as a private Member on Part 2 of the Bill, which is on children's bail and custody. I will refer to the accommodation situation —.
Joanne Bunting: I will move to issues on accommodation when a child is granted bail. Whilst the aim may be to keep children from custody except as a last resort, we are familiar with the practical difficulties that can arise around accommodation for children and young people who are afforded bail. We note that the intended provision of accommodation has had to be shelved as a result of budgetary constraints....
Joanne Bunting: I hear what the Minister says. I will address her point as I come to it. My next paragraph indicates that evidence that was brought to the court was not brought before the Committee. Last Thursday, the Committee received a briefing from departmental officials on the Bill's content and principles. I put on record the Committee's gratitude to the officials for their candour, patience and...
Joanne Bunting: I thank the leader of the Opposition for his intervention. I have no doubt that, when the provisions were brought forward, the Minister, the Committee and all concerned were genuine in their intent. However, there were outworkings, and we must take account of the learning and proceed in accordance with it. We must ensure that what emerges from the Bill's stages and our scrutiny is the best...
Joanne Bunting: I understand exactly why the Member makes the point. However, the mistake that she makes is that, in the period of hiatus, officials were working on the proposals and had additional time because they did not have other duties to consider.
Joanne Bunting: I will.
Joanne Bunting: Nobody indicated that the two years lost did not have an impact; nobody indicated that. That is not the point. The Member raised an issue, and I addressed it. Frankly, there is still no valid reason why those amendments could not have been brought and the Bill could not have been held. We will do our due diligence. I wish to continue with my remarks.
Joanne Bunting: I am eager to proceed, but carry on.
Joanne Bunting: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The Member was being somewhat pejorative when he said that Committee members who have not considered Bills before may be overwhelmed: that is not the case. We look forward to scrutinising the Bill, but our concern is that that should be done in the right way and in the best way. We know that it has happened in predecessor Committees — had the Member been...
Joanne Bunting: I need a couple of minutes, please.
Joanne Bunting: As Chair of the Committee for Justice, I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate and declare that I have an immediate family member who works in the legal profession. I state from the outset that the Committee and I look forward to scrutinising the Bill and working with key stakeholders and departmental officials in so doing, should it pass Second Stage today. There is little point in...
Joanne Bunting: The Department made a transformation bid with regard to ending violence against women and girls, but, unfortunately, that did not move to the next stage. What are the Minister's plans for the next steps, as that bid was unsuccessful?
