§ Mr. Cassellsasked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the Crown Office in many cases of serious crime, such as under the Criminal Law Amendment Act, refuse to furnish the accused with the names and addresses of the Crown witnesses, thereby causing great prejudice to the accused person in the preparation of his defence; and whether he is prepared in such cases in future to afford every facility on the lines indicated to the accused or his appointed agent?
§ The Lord AdvocateCases of serious crime are not prosecuted on summary 1407W complaint but on indictment. The case which the hon. Member has in mind was a border-line case involving alleged contravention of a statutory provision which authorises prosecution either summarily or on indictment. In view of the hon. and learned Member's representations, I have had the case re-examined and have instructed proceedings on indictment in which particulars of Crown witnesses and productions are given.