Coroners and Justice Bill

My hon. and learned Friend is an infinitely more experienced criminal practitioner than ever I was—I say that seriously, without condescension. However, there is a very big difference. In a criminal case, the trial judge can say, "I am not going to proceed, because it would be unjust", or the prosecution can say, "We are about to have crucial evidence that is sensitive and compromised. We will withdraw the prosecution", and sometimes does so, because there is no option. But with great respect, there will not be a massive new power in the hands of the state; it would be used extremely sparingly. I feel extremely frustrated, because my scheme was to give the decision to a senior High Court judge, but that did not find favour. We tried plan A. That did not work. We tried plan B and that did not work, so now we have plan C. To those who say they do not like the idea of non-jury inquests, I say that I do not like the idea either, but I am trying to square an extraordinarily difficult circle, and I have not yet found a way of doing so except by a route similar to the proposal.