HC Deb 18 March 1996 vol 274 c20
32. Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to improve communication between himself and his officials and the judiciary. [19408]

The Attorney-General

I and my officials communicate with the judiciary from time to time about a range of matters. The way in which such communications are conducted varies according to the circumstances.

Mr. Hughes

In the light of the failure of the Attorney-General's office to pass on, to the judge and elsewhere, the representations made by the now Deputy Prime Minister, will the Attorney-General tell the House whether, from now on, he will guarantee that any representations made to him on behalf of any Minister or any Member of the House in legal proceedings in which the Government have an interest or a role to play will be passed on, without delay, to the judge?

The Attorney-General

Once again, the hon. Gentleman, who also is a lawyer, should have read the report more carefully. The letters in question were immediately passed by my office to the Treasury Solicitors' Department. The principal method used by me to pass on my right hon. Friend's concerns was the public interest immunity certificate itself, which was read in open court, and was specifically noted and followed carefully by the judge, who studied every document and decided what should and should not be disclosed.