I am grateful to everybody for taking part in the debate and very grateful for the care with which the Minister answered the issues. I am disappointed with his response on Section 28 and making sure that it is available in all courts in England and Wales. He said that he wanted to test the technology first, but there have been three pilots going for some time. I found that answer not altogether convincing so may come back to that matter on Report.
4.15 pm
In relation to Amendment 286, which is the amendment excluding
“evidence of any sexual behaviour of the complainant with a third party”,
it might be fair to say that it did not meet with universal support across the Committee. If I want to send a message that you can be safer as a complainant, I will have to come back with something else. I take note of what everybody said in relation to that.
The only other amendment I would mention is Amendment 289, which
“would give the complainant a right of representation”.
Again, I remain pretty wedded to that provision. I may not have been listening hard enough but the Minister did not give a complete answer to it, so we may come back on that. In the meantime, I beg leave to withdraw Amendment 268.