§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD DESBOROUGHMy Lords, this Bill deals with a small matter but one of sonic importance. The object of the Bill is to correct—and I think it is stated pretty clearly on the back of the Bill—an error which got into last year's Criminal Justice Bill, the effect of which was to lake away the power from justices that they have at the present time of dismissing a case on payment of costs. For some reason or other this mistake occurred. I may say that this Bill passed through all its stages in another place in five minutes. The position now is this. Last year's Act comes into force on July 1 this year with this flaw in it and I will ask your Lordships to be allowed to move to suspend our Standing Orders so that this Bin may be passed through all its stages to-morrow in time for the Royal Assent, otherwise there will be an interval between the passing of this Bill and the new Bill coining into force, and in that interval magistrates may very often break the law without meaning to do so by doing what they have been accustomed to do heretofore. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Desborough.)
§ LORD MUIR MACKENZIEMy Lords, it is perfectly obvious that this Bill ought to be passed and that it ought to be passed in the summary manner recommended by the noble Lord opposite. Whether the necessity for the Bill ought ever to have arisen is another question.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.