§ Sir FREDERICK LOWasked the Attorney-General if he will consider whether it is desirable at an early date to introduce legislation to amend Section 1, Subsection (f) (ii.) of the Criminal Evidence Act, 1898, whereby counsel for the Crown is permitted to cross-examine a prisoner as to previous convictions of such prisoner, with a view to altogether prevent or to restrict such cross-examination in cases where the nature or conduct of the defence is such as to involve imputations on the character of the prosecutor or the witnesses for the prosecution?
§ The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Rufus Isaacs)I am making inquiries as to the way in which this particular provision of the Act in question has worked in practice. Until I know the result of these inquiries I would prefer not to express any opinion upon the propriety of introducing legislation to alter the law, but I can assure my hon. and learned Friend that this matter will receive very careful consideration.