Michael McCarthy (Labour)

Section 58 deals with powers and protections relating to witnesses and evidence. I draw the Minister of State's attention to subsection (4)(c) regarding collecting evidence before a committee, which reads, "as otherwise allowed by those rules, including by means of a live-video link, a video recording, a sound recording or any other mode of transmission."

Regarding giving evidence and allowing for due process and fair procedure, how is it intended to cross-examine a tape recording? I can understand how it might be done by the more obvious and practical means. Is it appropriate to include video recordings, although one cannot cross-examine them? It is a question rather than an observation, and perhaps the Minister might clarify matters.