§ Q6. Mr. Hugh Fraserasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the political nature of Mr. Attorney-General's office, he will now, in line with recent Commonwealth practice, move to make the Director of Public Prosecutions independent of Mr. Attorney-General's control.
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. FraserIs the Prime Minister aware that it will disturb many people that he is not prepared to look at this subject, which is a difficult one? Surely he has noticed that since 1946 more and more of the work of the Director of Public Prosecutions has come under the control of the Attorney-General and that he is more and more involved in Government business and less and less as the prosecuting conscience of the people. Surely the right hon. Gentleman should ensure that the political safeguards afforded to the emergent peoples are available to people in this country?
§ The Prime MinisterThe right hon. Gentleman is right in saying that this is and always has been a difficult question. If he thinks that it became more difficult after 1946, it was obviously difficult for 712 13 years. The then Prime Ministers took the same view of the matter which I have taken.