§ Mr. Stuart Hollandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the finding of the Court of Appeal that police seizure and inspection of the defence files of Michael Heston Francois was immaterial to the outcome of his case, he will issue new guidelines for the behaviour of the police with regard to the right of defendants to maintain privacy over the contents of their defence.
§ Mr. HurdClause 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill provides that the police shall have no power to seize items subject to legal privilege in the course of a search of any premises. The provisions of that clause will be supplemented by the code of practice for the searching of premises and the seizure of property which clause 59 of the Bill requires my right hon. and learned Friend to issue, a copy of the draft of which is in the Library. We have no plans to issue prior guidance.