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707

 

House of Commons

 
 

Tuesday 8th July 2008

 

Committee of the whole House

 

Proceedings

 

Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill


 

Clauses 1 and 2 Agreed to.

 


 

David Howarth

 

Chris Huhne

 

Tom Brake

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Negatived on division  35

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  26,  leave out subsection (2).

 

Secretary Jack Straw

 

Agreed to  40

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  26,  leave out ‘the application’ and insert ‘an application

 

under this section’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  20

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  27,  leave out ‘prosecutor’ and insert ‘court’.

 

Secretary Jack Straw

 

Agreed to  41

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  27,  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

The court must give every party to the proceedings the opportunity to be heard on

 

an application under this section.

 

(4)    

But subsection (3) does not prevent the court from hearing one or more parties in

 

the absence of a defendant and his or her legal representatives, if it appears to the

 

court to be appropriate to do so in the circumstances of the case.’.


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 8th July 2008      

708

 

Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, continued

 
 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not selected  1

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  27,  at end add—

 

‘(3)    

The court must give every party to the proceedings the opportunity to be heard on

 

the application.

 

(4)    

For the purpose of considering an application for a witness anonymity order the

 

court may appoint an independent counsel to assist the court, and, without

 

limiting the directions that the court may make, the court may direct the

 

independent counsel—

 

(a)    

to inquire into the matters that are set out in sections 4 and 5 and any other

 

matters that the court may think relevant, and

 

(b)    

to report his findings to the court.

 

(5)    

Where an independent counsel has been appointed, the party who applied for the

 

witness anonymity order must make available to the independent counsel all

 

information in relation to the proceeding that is in the party’s possession.

 

(6)    

Where an independent counsel has been appointed, provision shall be made, by

 

order, for fees for the professional services of the independent counsel together

 

with reasonable expenses to be determined and paid from money appropriated by

 

Parliament for the purpose.’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  2

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  27,  at end add—

 

‘(3)    

The court must give every party to the proceedings the opportunity to be heard on

 

the application.

 

(4)    

For the purpose of considering an application for a witness anonymity order the

 

court may appoint an independent counsel to assist the court, and, without

 

limiting the directions that the court may make, the court may direct the

 

independent counsel—

 

(a)    

to inquire into the matters that are set out in sections 4 and 5 and any other

 

matters that the court may think relevant, and

 

(b)    

to report his findings to the court.

 

(5)    

Where an independent counsel has been appointed, the party who applied for the

 

witness anonymity order must make available to the independent counsel all

 

information in relation to the proceeding that is in the party’s possession.’.

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Not called  18

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  27,  at end add—

 

‘(3)    

For the purposes of considering an application for a witness anonymity order the

 

judge may appoint a special advocate to represent the interests of the party not

 

present.’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  19

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  27,  at end add—

 

‘(3)    

Any application for a witness anonymity order must be made to the court at the

 

earliest opportunity.’.


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 8th July 2008      

709

 

Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, continued

 
 

David Howarth

 

Chris Huhne

 

Tom Brake

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Not called  36

 

Clause  3,  page  2,  line  27,  at end insert—

 

‘(3)    

The application must be heard by the court in chambers and determined on

 

evidence admissible in a criminal trial.’.

 

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

 


 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Negatived  3

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  31,  leave out ‘satisfied’ and insert ‘sure’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  4

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  31,  leave out ‘C’ and insert ‘D’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  21

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  34,  leave out ‘safety of the witness or another person’ and

 

insert ‘witness or another person from death or serious injury.’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  5

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  35,  leave out from ‘property’ to end of line 38.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  6

 

Clause  4,  page  2,  line  39,  leave out subsection (4) and insert—

 

‘(4)    

Condition B is that the making of the witness anonymity order would not deprive

 

the defendant of a fair trial.’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  7

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  1,  after ‘not’, insert ‘, and could not reasonably be expected

 

to,’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  8

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  1,  at end insert—

 

‘(5A)    

Condition D is that there is no reason to believe that the witness has a motive or

 

a tendency to be dishonest, having regard to the circumstances of the case and

 

(where applicable) to the witness’s previous convictions or the witness’s


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 8th July 2008      

710

 

Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, continued

 
 

relationship with the accused or any associates of the accused, and to any other

 

consideration that may be relevant to that issue that the court may think

 

appropriate.’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  22

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  3,  leave out from ‘must’ to end of line 4 and insert ‘assess the

 

reasonableness of any fear alleged on the part of the witness or another person.’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  23

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  5,  after second ‘or’, insert ‘serious’.

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Not called  17

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  5,  leave out from ‘injury’ to the end of line 6.

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not called  32

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  6,  leave out ‘property’ and insert ‘his property, or the

 

property of a close relative of his’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

 

Not called  31

 

Clause  4,  page  3,  line  6,  at end insert ‘or serious financial loss’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  9

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  9,  leave out ‘C’ and insert ‘D’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  10

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  15,  at end insert—

 

‘(aa)    

the principle that witness anonymity orders are justified only in

 

exceptional cases;

 

(ab)    

the gravity of the offence;

 

(ac)    

whether there is other evidence that corroborates the witness’s evidence;

 

(ad)    

whether the witness’s evidence constitutes the sole or decisive evidence

 

against the defendant;’.


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 8th July 2008      

711

 

Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, continued

 
 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  24

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  15,  at end insert—

 

‘(aa)    

the gravity of the offences alleged in the indictment;

 

(ab)    

the extent to which the evidence of the witness concerned is the only

 

uncorroborated or central evidence in the prosecution’s case against the

 

defendant;

 

(ac)    

the importance of the witness’s evidence to the strength of the

 

prosecution or defence case;

 

(ad)    

the nature and extent of any risk of death or injury to the witness or other

 

person as assessed by the prosecuting authority;

 

(ae)    

the nature and extent of any protective measures which the prosecuting

 

authority can offer to the witness or other person to reduce the risk of

 

death or injury;

 

(af)    

the cost of implementing the protective measures;

 

(ag)    

the likelihood that the witness, and any person associated with him, will

 

be able to adjust to any change in his circumstances which may arise from

 

the making of the arrangements or from their variation or cancellation (as

 

the case may be);

 

(ah)    

where the witness or other person has declined an offer of protective

 

measures, the reasonableness of his reasons for so declining;

 

(ai)    

whether the interests of justice can be served by the appointment by the

 

court of a special advocate to assist it in the making of its decision;’.

 

Secretary Jack Straw

 

Agreed to  42

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  18,  at end insert—

 

‘(ba)    

whether evidence given by the witness might be the sole or decisive

 

evidence implicating the defendant;’.

 

Mr Douglas Hogg

 

Not called  11

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  22,  leave out paragraph (d).

 

David Howarth

 

Chris Huhne

 

Tom Brake

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Not called  37

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  27,  at end insert—

 

‘(da)    

whether there is evidence to corroborate the evidence of the witness;’.

 

David Howarth

 

Chris Huhne

 

Tom Brake

 

Lynne Featherstone

 

Not called  38

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  27,  at end insert—

 

‘(da)    

whether the evidence of the witness (either alone or in combination with

 

the evidence of other witnesses subject to an order) is likely to be the sole

 

or decisive evidence against the defendant;’.


 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 8th July 2008      

712

 

Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, continued

 
 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Not called  12

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  30,  at end add—

 

‘( )    

whether the circumstances are sufficiently exceptional to justify the making of a

 

witness anonymity order;’.

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Not called  13

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  30,  at end add—

 

‘( )    

the gravity of the offence;’.

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Not called  14

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  30,  at end add—

 

‘( )    

the importance of the witness’s evidence to the case of the party who wishes to

 

call the witness;’.

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Not called  15

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  30,  at end add—

 

‘( )    

whether there is other evidence which corroborates the evidence given by the

 

witness;’.

 

Dr Evan Harris

 

Not called  16

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  30,  at end add—

 

‘( )    

the extent to which the prosecution’s case is based solely, or to a decisive extent,

 

on the testimony of the anonymous witness;’.

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not called  33

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  30,  at end add—

 

(f)    

that the order should only be made in exceptional circumstances;

 

(g)    

the gravity of the offence;

 

(h)    

the importance of the witness’s evidence to the case of the party who

 

wishes to call the witness;

 

(i)    

whether there is other evidence that corobarates the witness’s evidence;

 

(j)    

on an application by the prosecutor, whether his case is based solely or to

 

a decisive extent on the evidence of the witness.’.

 

Mr Andrew Dismore

 

Mark Fisher

 

Not called  34

 

Clause  5,  page  3,  line  30,  at end add—

 

‘(f)    

the strength of the evidence, if any, that the defendant was responsible for

 

the witness’s fear under section 4(6).’.

 

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

 



 
 

Committee of the whole House Proceedings: 8th July 2008      

713

 

Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill, continued

 
 

Secretary Jack Straw

 

Agreed to  43

 

Clause  6,  page  3,  line  35,  leave out ‘section 4’ and insert ‘sections 4 and 5’.

 

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

 


 

Secretary Jack Straw

 

Agreed to  44

 

Clause  7,  page  4,  line  2,  after ‘indictment’, insert ‘with a jury’.

 

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

 

Clause 8 Agreed to.

 


 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  29

 

Clause  9,  page  4,  line  34,  after ‘8’, insert ‘and [Appeal against making or refusal of

 

order]’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  25

 

Clause  10,  page  5,  line  8,  leave out ‘could’ and insert ‘would’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  26

 

Clause  10,  page  5,  line  10,  leave out ‘could’ and insert ‘would’.

 

Nick Herbert

 

Mr Edward Garnier

 

Mr Nick Hurd

 

Not called  27

 

Clause  10,  page  5,  line  24,  leave out ‘could’ and insert ‘would’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 



 
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