Parliamentary Bills
| Published date | 01 July 1957 |
| Date | 01 July 1957 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/002201835702100311 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Parliamen
tary
Bills
AParliamentary Bill does not always reach the Statute Book. Bills
are frequently amended before becoming Acts of Parliament.
This
section should be read accordingly.
MAGISTRATES'
COURTS
BILL
1957
THIS Bill was noted at xxi J.eL.
160
when somewhat
pun-
gent criticism was voiced regarding the
Court
procedure
envisaged by it.
It
is a Government measure which originated
in the Lords
and
it reached the Commons in the form which
aroused objection.
It
has now been amended by a Committee
of the Commons in a way which removes the objections
and
has received a
Third
Reading in the Commons in its altered
form.
The
Bill
must
again be considered by the Lords
but
it
is hoped
that
it will receive
the
Royal Assent without further
amendment.
Originally the Bill provided
that
the written statement of
the
prosecution's case
and
the
defendant's letter should be
read silently by the magistrates
and
subsequently read aloud
in court.
It
is now merely provided that both documents shall
be read aloud before the defendant's written plea of guilty is
accepted. Within this limit each court may decide when and
by whom
the
documents are to be read, a situation which is
considered to be satisfactory.
The
Bill applies to all summary cases except those triable
also on indictment or those for which imprisonment in excess
of three months may be imposed. An amendment agreed on
Third
Reading in
the
Commons permits the Home Secretary
to order, by Statutory Instruments, that certain specified
offences shall be excluded from the operation of the Act.
MAINTENANCE ORDERS (ATTACHMENT OF
INCOME)
BILL
1957
This
is a Private Members Bill which gives the courts
271
To continue reading
Request your trial