Criminal Proceedings (Information Rights)

Lord Clarke of Nottingham Excerpts

Wednesday 26th January 2011 Ministerial Corrections

The following is an extract from a speech in debate in the European Committee B debate on the EU Directive on the Right to Information in Criminal Proceedings by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) on 2 December 2010.

[Mr Clarke]

On Scotland, it costs the Scots about £500,000. They do not have a letter of rights at the moment—they will devise their own. It will be in accordance with Scottish law, not English and Welsh law, but they are happy to comply, because their standards are the same as ours. They will wish to give the same justice to people who appear in Scottish courts.

[Official Report, 2 December 2010, European Committee B, c. 13.]

Letter of correction from Mr Kenneth Clarke:

An error has been identified in the answer given to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman) about the costs of implementing the directive in Scotland.

The figure given should have been approximately £50,000—which includes written translation of a new letter of rights but does not include associated costs for training and putting in place the necessary legislation.