PREVENTION OF OFFENCES BILL.

HL Deb 27 June 1851 vol 117 cc1307-8

LORD CAMPBELL

moved, that the Amendments made by the House of Commons on the Prevention of Offences Bill should be taken into consideration. He regretted that another Bill, which went down to the Commons along with it, had not been returned along with it to their Lordships. He alluded to the Bill for the Improvement of Criminal Proceedings, which was a Bill of great importance. His noble and learned Friends, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, and Lord Cranworth, had all paid great attention to that Bill; and the most eminent men at the Bar, and those most versed in criminal proceedings, had also bestowed upon it much valuable time and labour. Notwithstanding this, the Bill had been referred in the House of Commons to the consideration of a Select Committee. He knew that that Committee had power to defeat the Bill; but he hoped that it would not do so; still it was a great discouragement to the friends of law reform, to find that a Bill which had been so carefully prepared, should be referred to a Select Committee. At present, however, he had only to move that the Commons' Amendments to the Prevention of Offences Bill be considered.

LORD BROUGHAM

warmly commended his noble and learned Friend (Lord Campbell), and assured their Lordships that the noble Lord had not in the least degree overstated, but rather understated, the great pains which had been taken with re- spect to the Improvement of Criminal Proceedings Bill. He (Lord Brougham) was quite mortified that it should have been sent before a Select Committee elsewhere, because at that critical period of the Session, the delay which must necessarily arise would jeopardise the passing of the Bill. He begged to ask the noble Lord if he could give any information as to when it was likely the report of the Commissioners on Common Law Proceedings, would be made.

LORD CAMPBELL

was deeply grieved that he could afford no satisfactory information. Some time since, he had asked when the Report would be made, and he was told in a fortnight; but they had now arrived at the 27th of June, and no report had been presented. He thought it was very much to be deplored, as it had prevented the Judges from carrying into effect some very salutary reforms which they had contemplated.

Commons' Amendments agreed to.