CRIMINAL JUSTICE (AMENDMENT) BILL [H.L.] (Hansard, 13 February 1980)

§ Lord WIGODER

My Lords, I beg to move, That this Bill now he read a third time. In so doing I should like, if your Lordships would permit me, to express my appreciation to those Members of your 275 Lordships' House who have enabled this Bill to reach this stage I have in mind particularly the Lord Chief Justice, the noble and learned Lord, Lord Widgery, who, in the midst of a crowded schedule, found it possible to come to your Lordships' House to support this Bill. I should also like to thank two former Lords Chancellor, the noble and learned Lord, Lord Elwyn-Jones, and the noble and learned Lord, Lord Gardiner, who each expressed their very real concern at the state of affairs which this Bill is designed to remedy; the noble Viscount, Lord Bridgeman, who was one of the original Members of the Tucker Committee, who expressed his support for the Bill; and the noble Lord, Lord Mischcon, who at all times devoted himself to the detail of this Bill with a constructive attitude that was most helpful. I must finally mention the noble Lord, Lord Belstead, and his colleagues in his Department who have displayed the utmost co-operation and patience in dealing with the problems raised by this Bill and who have so materially assisted with the drafting of the Bill as it now is in its present state.

The Bill is put forward as a modest measure which is designed to deal with a very real grievance that some defendants feel in certain circumstances. I venture to hope that, if the Bill is given a Third Reading in your Lordships' House, and passes from here to another place, the Government might find it possible, in view of the wide support that it has received in your Lordship's House, to find time for it in due course in another place among the rather more major and controversial matters in which they are at present engaged. I beg to move.