§ 54. Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Attorney-General why Parliament was not informed of the introduction of new guidelines for the vetting of potential jurors.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe practice of jury checks was brought to the attention of the House on 19th May 1975 in my Written Reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, West (Mr. Sedgemore), amplified by a letter to my hon. Friend from the then Home Secretary to which my Written Reply expressly referred.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Attorney-General whether he will now issue instructions for jurors' occupations to be restored to jury lists.
§ The Attorney-GeneralMy noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is not at present persuaded that it would be appropriate to reverse the decision taken in July 1973 to exclude jurors' occupations from jury panels.
75W
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Attorney-General (I) whether he will place a copy of his statement on jury checks of 10th October 1978 in the Library of the House
(2) whether he will amend paragraph 4 of his guidelines on jury checks of 10th October 1978 to remove any reference which might be read as a presumption of an unconvicted defendant's guilt.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI making arrangements for this to be done. I am grateful for the proposed amendment, which has been made and incorporated into the copy of the statement placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Attorney-General if he will list in the Official Report those organisations to which the guidelines on jury checking made available on 10th October 1978 were originally issued and the method by which and date on which such information was conveyed.
§ The Attorney-GeneralCirculars conveying the effect of the guidelines set out in my statement were issued (a) by the Director of Public Prosecutions to his staff on 30th June 1975; (b) in every case in which a check on a jury panel has been authorised to Crown counsel instructed in the case by the Director; and (c) by the then Secretary of State for the Home Department to all chief officers of Police on 10th October 1975.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Attorney-General if he will issue guidance to define more precisely, particularly in terms of membership of and connection with particular organisations, the words "extreme political beliefs" in paragraph 5 of the guidelines on jury checks of 10th October 1978.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo. The operation of the guidelines in respect of any particular case is considered in the light of the circumstances of that case. The safeguards incorporated in the guidelines are adequate to avoid unreasonable use of the system.
§ Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Attorney-General if he will amend the 76W guidelines on jury checks of 10th October 1978 to make it clear that the information from Special Branch records mentioned in paragraph 6 does not include information gathered by the methods prohibited in the latter part of his statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo. The permitted checks are of the records as they stand at the date of the check. The prohibition referred to is an adequate safeguard against the use of the prohibited methods for the purpose of checking.