Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill [H.L.] (Hansard, 13 January 2004)

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lady Scotland of Asthal, I beg to move the Motion standing in her name on the Order Paper.

§ Baroness Anelay of St Johns
My Lords, it is unusual for me to intervene at this stage to ask questions, but the Minister is aware that I wish to do so. These are rather unusual times for the Bill. Yesterday, the Government published a consultation document on compensation and support for victims of crime. On page 5 of the document, and in a Written Statement in another place, but not in this place, the Home Secretary states that any legislation that is necessary to implement these proposals that are at a consultation stage will be inserted into this Bill, which is the subject of the noble Lord's Motion today.
Noble Lords will be aware that we start Grand Committee on this Bill next Monday. The consultation period is to be 11 weeks. My questions therefore bear in mind the extensive discussion set out on page 55 of the paper. Can the Minister explain why the Government did not see fit to inform this House in both the opening and closing speeches at Second Reading on 15 December that significant additions to the Bill could be brought forward by amendment? Can the Minister give an assurance to the House that the Bill will not leave Grand Committee until those amendments have been tabled and noble Lords have 470 been able to give full consideration to them? If he is unable to do that, can he give the House an assurance that the new clauses will be considered by way of recommitment when the matter returns to this House after consideration by the Commons? Noble Lords, of course, take scrutiny of legislation very seriously.

§ Baroness Thomas of Walliswood
My Lords, I support the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, in her comments, in particular on the issue of scrutiny. I shall not go any further into detail because she gave much of the important detail. The consultation process is not planned until 29 March. Good Friday is on 9 April. It therefore seems very unlikely that any amendment will be drafted and available to Parliament until after the Easter Recess. By that time, the Bill, under its current timetabling, will have reached the House of Commons. We would be able to consider the new amendments in this House only as Commons amendments to the Bill as sent to the House of Lords, which would be a most difficult time at which to give the amendments the scrutiny that they require. I hope that the Minister will be able to give a satisfactory answer to the questions posed by the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay.

§ Lord Skelmersdale
My Lords, I note that the Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms is not in his place, but the noble Lord, Lord Bassam, and his colleagues will have heard what the two Front Benches have said. I hope that on the issue of possible recommitment they will pass the remarks made by the two Front Benches to the Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms.

§ Lord Bassam of Brighton
My Lords, first, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, for giving me advance notice of her questions. I am most grateful to her for that. I appreciate the points that have been made in your Lordships' House today on these matters. My noble friend Lady Scotland, at Second Reading, made plain that there would be consultation on these issues. She made that very clear in her comments at Second Reading. I cannot give commitments from the Dispatch Box today about recommitment and such issues. However, I can tell your Lordships that there will be ample time for consultation. Obviously, the Bill will proceed following that consultation and, no doubt, a view will be taken as to how best to proceed.
I cannot comment on timetabling in detail. That would be quite wrong. That is a matter quite properly for the usual channels. I will, of course, reinforce the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, and ensure that the Chief Whip is fully apprised of the issues raised this afternoon in your Lordships' House.