| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
Lord Renton: Before the noble Baroness sits down, speaking for myself, I am grateful for the explanation that she has given. But I am still puzzled as to why we should be legislating on these somewhat technical matters which affect the administration of justice but have always been satisfactorily dealt with by rules of court which can so easily be amended from time to time. The Government will not want this statute amended very often.
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I absolutely understand what the noble Lord, Lord Renton, says and I agree with him. We are seeking to use live links in a significantly different way from the way they have been used before. At the moment the use of live links is still unusual for us. We are used to the full panoply of hearing evidence in the normal way. If we had been asked 15 years ago what we thought of a fax we would all be rather nervous about how and when it should be used, but now we are very comfortable with it. The noble Lord, Lord Renton, was right to make the remarks that he did, but we believe that as it is a new measure and because we are extending it much more broadly, it is important to highlight it in the way that we have. We think that that is important but we take on board what the noble Lord said. We believe that we have the matter about right and that the proposed further amplification or definition on the face of the Bill is not necessary.
Viscount Bridgeman: I hope that the Minister will take on board the general remarks of my noble friend Lord Renton about the practice of including in the Bill a detail which would otherwise have been included in rules of court. Bearing in mind that I think this part of the Bill was not debated at all in another place, the Minister's offer of a letter is much appreciated. I should like to take up that offer. I, too, am grateful for the Minister's comprehensive reply. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
[Amendment No. 132H not moved.]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: I beg to move that the House be now resumed.
Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
- House adjourned at six minutes before nine o'clock.
| Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |