asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the law governing the reporting of committal proceedings in magistrates' courts so that in cases where there is more than one defendant before the court restrictions upon reporting can be lifted only if all the defendants so request it instead of only one as at present.

This point was extensively debated during the passage of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 but I am, of course, ready to hear further views on it.