Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill

Call for Evidence

The Committee for Justice would like to hear your views on the Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill

The Purpose of the Bill is to improve the operation of the criminal justice system by reforming committal proceedings, which is the procedure used to determine whether there is sufficient evidence available to justify putting a person on trial in the Crown Court.  The purpose of committal is not to determine whether the accused is guilty of an offence.

Read the Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill

Read the accompanying Explanatory and Financial Memorandum

At its meeting on 5 November 2020 the Committee received a briefing on the principles of the Bill from Department of Justice officials.

Read the departmental briefing paper from 5 November 2020

Read the Hansard of the oral evidence session on 5 November 2020

How to submit your views

The Committee for Justice welcomes evidence on any aspect of the Bill.

Written submissions should be submitted in word format and preferably by email to Committalreformbill@niassembly.gov.uk or, by post, to The Committee Clerk, Room 242, Parliament Buildings, Ballymiscaw, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3XX.

Your written submission should be structured to address specific clauses or the Schedule of the Bill. If appropriate, it should include any amendments you wish to propose to the text of the Bill.

The closing date for written submissions is Friday 15 January 2021.

 Organisations or individuals responding to this call for evidence should note that their written submission (either in whole or part) may be published on the Committee webpage and may be quoted in the Committee’s report or referred to in Committee meetings (which are public and broadcast)

The Committee recognises that in some circumstances people may prefer for their evidence to be treated as confidential, or published anonymously. If you wish to do this please make this clear when submitting your evidence.

Before sending us your views please read the Northern Ireland Assembly Privacy Notice. This tells you how we process your personal data.

If you have any queries or require any further information about the call for evidence or the Committee Stage of the Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill please contact the Committee Clerk by email at committalreformbill@niassembly.gov.uk or by phone at 028 9052 1629.