§ SIR BERKELEY SHEFFIELD (Lincolnshire, Brigg)To ask Mr. Attorney-General if his attention has been called to the remarks made by the Lord Chief Justice in the case of the King v. Dyson, pointing out a serious difficulty which has arisen in connection with the Court of Criminal Appeal; and whether he proposes to amend the Act.
(Answered by Sir William Robson). I have seen a report of the remarks in question. The difficulty pointed out by the Lord Chief Justice, due to the fact that the Court had no power to order a new trial, was foreseen and debated during the passage of the Criminal Appeal Act, and it was then decided that on the whole it was undesirable to let a prisoner be subjected to more than one trial. The working of the Act is being carefully watched, but I cannot say that any amendment on this point is likely to be proposed.