§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Lord Advocate has decided whether the Crown will pay the costs of the private prosecution in the Scottish rape case, in the light of the benefit in terms of public policy and of the precedent in England recently when the Crown supported a private prosecution brought by a police officer.
§ Mr. RifkindI understand that the solicitor acting on behalf of the person wishing to bring the private prosecution has submitted an application for legal advice and assistance for the investigation of the case to the Glasgow legal aid committee and an application for legal aid for the prosecution of the case to the legal aid central committee of the Law Society and that these applications are receiving urgent consideration. The Legal Aid Central Committee has today referred to the Secretary of State its doubts about the competence of granting legal aid. My right hon. Friend will give the matter sympathetic consideration.