§ Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the Bail Act 1976 to provide that bail shall not be granted to any person charged with murder; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorThe Bail Act 1976 establishes a general presumption in favour of bail. The nature and seriousness of the offence are among the matters to which a court must have regard when considering whether any of the exceptions specified in the Act to that general presumption apply. We are looking at the events which led, in a recent case, to the grant of bail to Winston Silcott. We will consider whether there are lessons to be learnt and report any conclusions to the House.