Session 2012 - 13
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Other Bills before Parliament


 
 

901

 

House of Commons

 
 

Notices of Amendments

 

given on

 

Thursday 7 March 2013

 

For other Amendment(s) see the following page(s) of Supplement to Votes:

 

807, 809-10, 847-70, 871-72 and 875-77 and 897-900

 

Consideration of Bill


 

Crime and Courts Bill [Lords], As Amended

 

Court arrangements for very vulnerable witnesses

 

Nicola Blackwood

 

Ann Coffey

 

Mr Robert Buckland

 

Kris Hopkins

 

Steve Baker

 

Jane Ellison

 

Total signatories: 9

 

Mr Richard Bacon

 

Charlie Elphicke

 

Dr Julian Huppert

 

NC11

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Secretary of State must make arrangements for specialist courts for very

 

vulnerable witnesses.

 

(2)    

A specialist court for very vulnerable witnesses will consist of a partnership

 

programme within the criminal court structure.

 

(3)    

In establishing the specialist court, the Secretary of State must involve the

 

following partners—

 

(a)    

the judiciary;

 

(b)    

court officials;

 

(c)    

the Crown Prosecution Service;

 

(d)    

police forces;

 

(e)    

witness support services;

 

(f)    

victim support services; and

 

(g)    

any other speciailist services that the Secretary of State deems

 

appropriate.

 

(4)    

In cases where there is a very vulnerable witness—

 

(a)    

no judge can sit on the case unless he has taken part in appropriate

 

training provided by the Judicial College;


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 7 March 2013                     

902

 

Crime and Courts Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

(b)    

a single court usher, who has taken part in appropriate training provided

 

by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service, must be assigned to the

 

witness throughout their time at court;

 

(c)    

the case will be assigned to a court with all necessary facilities to offer

 

the full range of special measures set out in sections (23) to (30) of the

 

Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999;

 

(d)    

before allocating time for trials the court must take into account the

 

impact of delays on very vulnerable witnesses; and

 

(e)    

the services of independent sexual violence advisors must be offered to

 

very vulnerable witnesses.

 

(5)    

The Secretary of State must issue a code of practice giving guidance about court

 

arrangements for very vulnerable witnesses, which must be published, and may

 

be revised from time to time.

 

(6)    

Before issuing or revising a code under subsection (3), the Secretary of State must

 

lay a copy before each House of Parliament for approval within a 40 day period.

 

(7)    

For the purposes of this section—

 

“very vulnerable witness” includes the victim in a case of child sexual

 

abuse.

 

“independent sexual violence advisers” are victims-focused advocates who

 

work with victims of recent and historic serious sexual crimes to enable

 

them to access the services they need in the aftermath of the abuse they

 

have experienced.’.

 

Provision of intermediaries for very vulnerable witnesses

 

Ann Coffey

 

Nicola Blackwood

 

NC12

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Secretary of State must provide for intermediaries to be assigned to very

 

vulnerable witnesses in all court cases.

 

(2)    

In the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, after section 29 there is

 

inserted:

 

“29A  

Intermediaries for very vulnerable witnesses

 

(1)    

A special measures direction must be made to provide for any

 

examination of a very vulnerable witness (however and wherever

 

conducted to be conducted through an interpreter or other person

 

approved by the court for the purposes of this section (“an

 

intermediary”).

 

(2)    

In addition to the functions set out in subsection 29(2), an intermediary

 

must be assigned to very a vulnerable witness through their whole

 

experience before, during and after court.

 

(3)    

For the purposes of this section, “very vulnerable witness” has the same

 

meaning as defined in section [Court arrangements for very vulnerable

 

witnesses] (5) of the Crime and Courts Act 2013.”.’.


 
 

Notices of Amendments: 7 March 2013                     

903

 

Crime and Courts Bill-[Lords], continued

 
 

John McDonnell

 

102

 

Page  11,  line  1,  leave out Clause 13.

 

John McDonnell

 

103

 

Page  21,  line  25  [Clause  24],  leave out subsection (2).

 

Jenny Chapman

 

David Hanson

 

Stella Creasy

 

104

 

Page  278,  line  13  [Schedule  15],  at end add—

 

‘Part 9

 

Reorganisation of the National Probation Service

 

    (1)  

The Offender Management Act 2007 is amended as follows.

 

      (2)  

After section 15 insert—

 

“15A      

Power to reorganise the National Probation Service

 

      (1)  

Any plans to reorganise the Probation Service for England and

 

Wales must be instituted by regulations.

 

      (2)  

Regulations under subsection (1) shall be subject to the affirmative

 

resolution procedure of each House of Parliament.”.’.

 


 
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