HC Deb 17 February 1955 vol 537 cc637-8
Mr. Head

I beg to move, in page 56, line 34, at the end, to add: (3) In the last foregoing subsection references to questions of law include references to questions as to the joinder of charges and as to the trial of persons jointly or separately. This is an elucidating Amendment which is in line with the recommendations in paragraph 83 of the Select Committee's Report. What it does is to clarify the situation and to make clear that a Judge Advocate can deal with the question specified, that is to say joinder of charges and joint trials in the absence of the court. This is entirely in line with civil practice in this respect. It is obvious that this was the intention of the Select Committee. It is intended to insert this Amendment here to make it absolutely clear that this Clause includes joinder of charges.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

The Temporary Chairman

The Amendments which have been put down by the hon. and learned Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hector Hughes) to Clause 116 not having been selected, I propose, with the consent of the Committee, to put en bloc the Question, That Clauses 105–123 stand part of the Bill.

Mr. Elwyn Jones

Will you please call Clause 110?

Mr. Hector Hughes

I cannot contest your decision, Major Anstruther-Gray, not to call the Amendments to Clause 116, but may I make this observation? They are largely matters of wording. They seek to introduce a different finding on the question of insanity, and I venture to think that they would be accepted by the Government. They substitute—

7.30 p.m.

The Temporary Chairman

It would be getting beyond the rules of Order to go into the hon. and learned Member's Amendments on this point of order.

Mr. Hughes

Then I take it, Major Anstruther-Gray, that there is no objection to my putting down the Amendments on the Report stage?

The Temporary Chairman

I have no objection whatever to what the hon. and learned Member does on Report stage.

I take it that it would be convenient now to put the Question for the block of Clauses on which no one wishes to speak.

Clauses 105 to 110 ordered to stand part of the Bill.