§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Attorney-General why the Government, through counsel, supported an application made by Mr. John Poulson for the bankruptcy proceedings in which he is involved to be adjourned.
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§ Mr. Haversasked the Attorney-General if he will explain the circumstances in which counsel appearing for him supported the application for an adjournment of the public examination in bankruptcy of Mr. Poulson.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI instructed counsel to appear for me in support of the application for an adjournment because I wished to seek to ensure that nothing should be said or done in the bankruptcy proceedings which might prejudice any possible prosecution resulting from the current police investigations into the affairs of Mr. John Poulson. I was not acting on behalf of the Government but in pursuance of my constitutional responsibility for the fair administration of the criminal law. Other counsel appeared for the Official Receiver in support of the application, because in the view of the Official Receiver it was not in the public interest to pursue the public examination of the debtor while police inquiries were proceeding. The Government did not take any part in the application.