The House of Lords rose at 12.39am this morning - an unusually late sitting, after a very full day. The reason for the late finish was that much of the afternoon and early evening was taken up by the Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill. Committee and all subsequent stages were taken between 3.09pm and 7.21pm on this emergency bill designed to remedy the problems caused by the House of Lords Judicial Committee (the highest court in England) in the R v Davis case where it considered the use of anonymous witness evidence at trials, which wass governed by the common law. The effect of the judgment was to restrict the courts' ability at common law to allow evidence to be given anonymously during criminal trials.Only one amendment was made in the House of Lords, put forward by the Government. As a result the bill will be returned to the House of Commons, for their agreement to the amendment, and then the bill can go for Royal Assent.
The controversial Planning Bill then had its Second Reading in the Lords - hence the very late night!
