§ 26. Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the work of his Department since 19 July. [37856]
§ The Attorney-GeneralSince 19 July, my Department has been engaged in carrying out its normal range of duties.
§ Mr. MackinlayHow does the Attorney-General account for the disparity of his conduct in relation to possible contempt of court cases? How is it that, with great speed, he has taken contempt of court action against Today regarding tittle-tattle that it published about the Prince of Wales's former housekeeper, but has taken no action against those newspapers that prejudiced an important criminal trial, with the result that the proceedings were aborted, at great cost?
§ The Attorney-GeneralI can only attribute the hon. Gentleman's question to his ignorance. What even that Essex man does not seem to realise is that three contempt cases were already in the pipeline before the recent concern was brought to light by the judge at Harrow. I am looking at that carefully.
§ Mr. MackinlayLooking at it carefully?
§ The Attorney-GeneralCarefully and fairly, so that I can decide whether to bring proceedings.
As I have said, three cases are to come before the divisional court—two respecting the BBC and one respecting the News of the World. I do not think that the hon. Gentleman was aware of that.