§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ 8.46 p.m.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Peake)I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."
This Bill provides in respect of Northern Ireland for the administration of justice during the war on lines exactly similar to the Bills which the House passed through all their stages on 1st September in respect of England and Wales and Scotland. It is intended to guard against difficulties in the administration of justice which may arise as the result of enemy action during the war. The functions which in England will, if necessary, be exercised by the Lord Chancellor will in Northern Ireland fall to the Lord Chief Justice; and those in respect of inferior courts which in England fall to be discharged by the Home Secretary will in Northern Ireland be carried out by the Governor. These powers include such matters as the suspension of the sitting of the court, the removal of the courts to safer places, and the removal of the registers, records and matters of that kind. The Bill also limits the right of the parties in civil actions to demand a jury, and it reduces the number of jurymen required in civil or criminal cases from 12 to seven. It also extends the possible period of remand for persons in custody from eight to 21 days. The Bill may be brought to an end when the emergency is over by the simple procedure of an Order in Council, and its terms have been agreed with the authorities in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Lees-SmithThis Bill has been looked at by one or two of my hon. Friends with professional qualifications on this subject, and on their advice I have no intention of delaying it.
§ Question, "That the Bill be now read Second time," put, and agreed to.
742§ Bill read a Second time.
§ Bill committed to a Committee of the whole House for To-morrow. — [Major Sir J. Edmondson.]