Fraud Bill [HL]

My Lords, I spoke at Second Reading in favour of abolishing conspiracy to defraud. In many ways, I still favour abolishing such a wide and amorphous way of prosecuting people. It seemed to me that we were missing an opportunity to be rid now of conspiracy to defraud, one which might not arise again. However, the noble and learned Lord the Attorney-General was good enough to send me the views of the Rose committee on this matter, and I have since had an opportunity to talk briefly with Lord Justice Rose. That leaves me in the awkward position of being in favour of both the Law Commission’s strong recommendation and, at the same time, the views of Lord Justice Rose. At the moment I am wobbling down in favour of the latter, but I wait to hear how the noble and learned Lord the Attorney-General replies.