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Members should imagine being an 11 or 12-year-old who has been the victim of sexual abuse, who then has to wait for 14 to 18 months, involving several adjournments, before they can get their day in court, in an adversarial court system.
I am not asking you to answer those substantive questions, Sir Robert, but I raise the issue as an example of an area in which the public would want to get at the truth. That can be achieved if everyone—in this room and outwith it—can see all the documents and draw their own conclusions.
There is a series of procedural issues that we must get right. As I said earlier, procedures follow principles in a sense and we must assess the principle on which we are to proceed.
That is why I wanted to flag up the timetabling issue. How did we get into this situation? I will look into that while the committee continues with the scrutiny process and comment later.
That is why I wanted to flag up the timetabling issue. How did we get into this situation? I will look into that while the committee continues with the scrutiny process and comment later.
For example, someone might die intestate and not leave a will, and there will always be silly old men who believe that attractive young women really do find them the most attractive thing in the world, and who get married to them and leave their estate to them.
I am not sure why a big company that is playing the "We didnae ken" card should get away with that. That is not a comment on the merit of the objection.
Members' bills, almost by definition, are not necessarily party political, but they must be cross party to some extent before they get to committee. That is my concern about the practicalities of that suggestion.