§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Solicitor-General what rules of(a) procedure and (b) evidence may prevent a prosecution witness giving evidence of (i) the appearances of a defendant whom that witness has seen at the scene of an alleged crime, (ii) the fact of a defendant being of no fixed abode and (iii) the whereabouts of objects at the scene of an alleged theft which are not the subject of a charge of theft. [55455]
§ The Solicitor-General[holding answer 14 May 2002]: There are no specific rules of procedure or evidence affecting these categories.
Whether a witness is permitted to give evidence on a particular issue depends on the relevance of their testimony to the charge before the court, and whether that evidence is admissible. There are many factors which might affect the admissibility of evidence, and each case would depend upon its precise facts.
If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind I would be glad to attempt to provide a fuller answer.