UK Parliament / Open data

Defamation Bill

Proceeding contribution from Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour) in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 5 February 2013. It occurred during Debate on bills on Defamation Bill.

I thank all noble Lords who contributed to this debate. I reassure the Minister that it was not just because they all feel so sorry for him about the last two votes that they all suddenly rallied to him. Theirs were genuine views, not sympathy.

All noble Lords who spoke are lawyers. They are very familiar with Civil Procedure Rules. Those of us who get caught up in defamation are not, so this amendment is less about the procedure than about signalling to people that they can apply for strike out. That is the essence of the amendment. It is because of that that I am cheered by the Minister’s response and his encouragement to courts to manage cases. That is undoubtedly half of it.

In Committee, the Minister spoke about new guidelines to go with the Bill. I hope that they will refer to the ability outside the Bill to get a strike out, because most people do not know about that but think the matter has to go to trial. That was the point we were really making. However, I know when I am not going to win a vote. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
743 c190 
Session
2012-13
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
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