Criminal Cases Review Commission (Information) Bill 2015–16: Briefing for Lords Stages

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (Information) Bill is a House of Commons private member’s bill introduced by William Wragg (Conservative MP for Hazel Grove). It is supported in the House of Lords by Lord Ramsbotham (Crossbench). The Bill has passed its stages in the House of Commons without amendment and is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 26 February 2016. It is supported by the Government.

Under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1995, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has the power to require public bodies to disclose and provide documents and other materials which may help the CCRC in exercising its duties. The Bill would extend this power to allow the CCRC—following the granting of an order by the Crown Court—to request such documents from someone who is not employed by or serving in a public body. The explanatory notes to the Bill explain that “unlike their counterpart in Scotland” the CCRC currently has no power to require such individuals to supply this information.