§ Lord HATCH of LUSBYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Director of Public Prosecutions has completed his consideration of the Papers connected with the Bingham Report and whether any further action is contemplated.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord Hailsham of Saint Marylebone)My Lords, the Attorney General will be making a Statement on this matter as soon as possible.
§ Lord HATCH of LUSBYMy Lords, may I ask the noble and learned Lord whether, bearing in mind the number of reports that have been made and the number of Answers which have been given to me about the Statement which will be forthcoming from the Attorney General, he can give us any clear idea as to when this Statement is coming? I ask this particularly in view of the fact that the other place has already expressed a view—it did so in the last Parliament—that there should be a public inquiry, and that one of the noble and learned Lord's own colleagues has stated that this is a matter which calls into question the whole integrity of Parliament.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, the noble Lord's Question relates to a report by the Director of Public Prosecutions, and I do not think it should be linked with the other matters to which he has referred.