12 December 2007
Justice Minister Maria Eagle has made a written ministerial statement on the review of the law of homicide.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, Maria Eagle:
I am today announcing the next stage in the review of the law of homicide.
In July 2005, the Law Commission was asked by the Government to review the law of murder in England and Wales. In December 2006, it published its report on 'Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide' with wide-ranging recommendations for changes to the law. That report was intended as the first stage in the review of the law, with the Government undertaking the second stage.
It is that second stage which begins today. The Government has considered the Law Commission's recommendations carefully and has decided to proceed on a step-by-step basis, looking first at the recommendations for:
- reformed partial defences to murder of diminished responsibility and provocation (including the use of excessive force in self-defence);
- reformed offences of complicity in relation to homicide; and
- improved procedures for dealing with infanticide.
The Government believes it is right to deal with these crucial elements of the existing law before moving on to consider the wider structural proposals from the Law Commission.
We want the review to be open and transparent. Over the next few months we will be talking to key stakeholders, both inside and outside the criminal justice system, to seek their views on the Law Commission's recommendations in these areas. We will publish draft clauses for consultation next summer prior to introducing any necessary legislation.