§ 15 Clause 43, page 31, line 19, leave out ("when a minor shall while that person") and insert ("shall while he").
§ Lord Williams of MostynMy Lords, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 15. I wish to speak also to Amendments Nos. 18 to 22 and 53.
Amendments Nos. 15, 18 and 19 remove tautologies in Clauses 43 and 44. Amendment No. 20 defines whom, including those resident in Scotland, the courts should recognise as having authority to offer or veto the parental waiver provided in respect of reporting restrictions in relation to the identification of young victims and witnesses of alleged offences at the pre-trial stage of criminal investigations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Amendments Nos. 21 and 22 are consequential to Amendment No. 20. Amendment No. 53 is consequential to Amendments Nos. 62 and 63 moved on Lords Report on 8th March 1999.
Amendments Nos. 15, 18, and 19 remove references to "a minor" in Clauses 43 and 44. They are not needed because the clauses already contain references to a person under the age of 18. Amendment No. 20 clarifies the question of parental waiver in respect of children allegedly involved as victims or witnesses. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendments No. 15.—(Lord Williams of Mostyn.)
§ Lord Cope of BerkeleyMy Lords, I wish only to say that it is somewhat a criticism of your Lordships' House, including myself, that we should have allowed the tautology corrected by the amendments to slip through. On reading the Bill, the problem is obvious and the other place is right to correct us.
§ n Question, Motion agreed to.