§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLasked Mr. Attorney General, Whether Her Majesty's Government have yet come to any decision as to the re-organisation of the office of Public Prosecutor, with the view of rendering the system more efficient, and really making the prosecution of serious offences a public and not a private function?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES),in reply, said, he must answer this Question in the negative. No decision had yet been come to as to the re-organization of the Office of Public Prosecutor. In fact, such a reorganization would involve a great addition to the staff, and for that an appeal would have to be made to the Treasury. He was afraid that this was not a very opportune moment to ask for additional expenditure. At the same time, both the Home Secretary and himself were quite alive to the importance of that matter, and they would endeavour to make the best arrangements in their power in regard to it.
MR. GORSTgave Notice, in consequence of this answer, that in Supply he would move the reduction of the Vote for the expenses of the Office of Public Prosecutor.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLgave Notice, in order to strengthen the hands of the Attorney General, that, after the 830 second reading of the Criminal Procedure Bill, he would move—
That it be an Instruction to the Committee to inform themselves as to the Law of Scotland with regard to criminal prosecutions so as to frame a Bill to operate throughout the United Kingdom; that the prosecution for serious offences shall he a public and not a private function.