Chris Philp Parliamentary Under Secretary of State  Ministry of Justice  12th February 2020  EXPLANATORY NOTE  (This note is not part of the Order)  Section 28 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 (c. 23) (“the Act”) provides that  where a witness’s video recorded interview has been admitted as their evidence in chief under  section 27 of the Act, the court may also direct that any cross-examination and re-examination of  the witness be video recorded and that recording admitted as evidence.  A witness in criminal proceedings can be eligible for a direction under section 28 by virtue of  section 16(1)(a) of the Act (the witness is under 18 at the time of the hearing), section 16(1)(b) of  the Act (eligibility on the grounds of incapacity), and/or section 17 of the Act (eligibility on the  grounds of fear or distress about testifying).  Article 2 of this Order makes provision for the coming into force of section 28 of the Act on 24th  February 2020 for the purposes of proceedings before the Crown Court sitting at Aylesbury,  Bristol, Leicester, Northampton, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading, Swansea or Wolverhampton,  where the witness is eligible for assistance by virtue of section 16 of the Act.  Section 28 was partially brought into force by S.I. 2013/3236 in relation to proceedings before the  Crown Court sitting at Kingston-upon-Thames, Leeds or Liverpool, where the witness is eligible  by virtue of section 16(1)(a) and is under the age of 16 at the time of the hearing, or is eligible by  virtue of section 16(1)(b) of the Act. Section 28 was subsequently brought into force in relation to  proceedings in the Crown Court sitting at those three locations where the witness is eligible by  virtue of section 16(1)(a) and is aged 16 or 17 at the time of the hearing (S.I. 2016/1201), and  where the witness is eligible by virtue of section 17(4) of the Act (complainants in respect of a  sexual offence or modern slavery offence who are witnesses in proceedings relating to that  offence, or that offence and any other offences) (S.I. 2019/947).  S.I 2019/947 also brought section 28 into force in relation to proceedings before the Crown Court  sitting at Bradford, Carlisle, Chester, Durham, Mold or Sheffield, where the witness is eligible for  special measures by virtue of section 16 of the Act.  This Order expands the availability of section 28 directions to proceedings before the Crown  Court in nine further locations, where the witness is eligible for special measures by virtue of  section 16 of the Act. A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no significant impact on the  private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.  NOTE AS TO EARLIER COMMENCEMENT ORDERS  (This note is not part of the Order)  The following provisions of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 have been brought  into force in England and Wales by commencement order made before the date of this Order:  Provision  Date of commencement  S.I. No.  Sections 1 to 15 (remainder)  and Schedule 1  26.06.2000  2000/1587  Sections 16 to 27  24.07.2002  2002/1739  Section 28 (partially)  30.12.2013  2013/3236  2