§ 32. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to grant the Court of Criminal Appeal the power to order a new trial.
§ 46. Lieut.-Colonel Bromley-Davenportasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider amending the Criminal Justice Act of 1948 to give the Court of Criminal Appeal power, in a proper case, to order a new trial.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeThe general question is at present under consideration in the light of the comments recently 660 made in a debate in another place. In any event, I am not in a position, in view of the congested state of the legislative programme, to hold out any hope of legislation either now or in the near future.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonWhen the right hon. and learned Gentleman says that the matter is under consideration, can he tell the House exactly what he means. in view of the important issues involved and in view of what sounded like a vague benediction by the Lord Chancellor in another place? Would he arrange for the whole matter to be investigated by an authoritative body so that the House could be told whether there is any reason or need for the suggested reform?
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeWhen I said that the matter was under consideration I had in mind the fact that I listened to—and took part in—the debate on this question in the House, and I happen to know that hon. Gentlemen who took one view when it was discussed are now disturbed as to whether that view was right. I think it is a subject which we should all consider very carefully before we go further in the direction of legislation.