My Lords, there have been some very strong speeches from some very eminent lawyers, talking about the underlying principles of the jury room. Set against that, as the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, said, there are very strong equality arguments in favour of the proposal by the Government.
I served on a jury many years ago, but I want to talk about my experience as a magistrate. Magistrates are both judge and jury. About two years ago, the Greater London Family Panel of magistrates recruited a deaf magistrate. As far as I know, she has been sitting successfully for the last two years. I am in a position to know because I am currently chairman of the Greater London Family Panel and would be told if there were any complaints or observations related to the way she was performing. I have not heard any and, as far as I know, it is absolutely fine. She sits with a regular interpreter, who is familiar to her, and with the other magistrates when they are determining these very sensitive issues.
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Maybe it is going further when you are talking about the 12 people in a jury room and then a 13th and 14th. Maybe that is different; I understand that argument and I look forward to the Minister’s response. But I will just make the point that a colleague of mine is deaf and sitting as a magistrate. I also understand that she sits on other tribunals as well. Having said that, I will reserve judgment and listen to what the Minister says, and I will see what the noble Earl, Lord Attlee, has to say about what he intends to do with this amendment.