§ Mr. GOLDIEasked the Attorney-General whether he is prepared to introduce legislation whereby the jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice to punish newspapers and their proprietors for contempt of court shall only be invoked by himself or on his direction?
The ATTORNEY-GENERALI presume my hon. and learned Friend is referring to a remark made by a learned Judge in a recent case. In that case the Divisional Court had granted a rule nisi on the basis that a case for argument was made out. The learned Judge's2010W suggestion would therefore, if acted on, confer power on the Attorney-General to disallow proceedings in such a case. The learned Judge's suggestion will be borne in mind, but legislation to carry it into effect would need very careful consideration.