§ Mr. Leeasked the Attorney-General if, in the light of the current practice of vetting of trials for security purposes of certain jurors, he will take steps to permit the disclosure of the occupations and antecedent history of such jurors to defence counsel and solicitors so as to permit challenge for cause such as obtained in the Stoke Newington Eight trial; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe checks on potential jurors exceptionally made on behalf of the Crown do not and are not designed to reveal their occupations or any aspect of their antecedent histories other than as stated in the guidelines published in my statement of 10th October 1978. Provision is already made for information received by Crown counsel as a result of the checks to be made available to defence counsel in accordance with the guideline principles. If knowledge of a potential juror's occupation came in any way to the knowledge of counsel in such a case, the same principles would be applicable.