§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Attorney-General whether he intends to give general guidance on criteria for prosecution; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI have today placed in the Library of the House a document setting out criteria for prosecution which I have drawn up for the guidance of all who prosecute on behalf of the public. This guidance is being drawn to the attention of chief officers of police by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. This is one of the interim measures which the Government promised in response to part II of the report of the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure; another was that the Director of Public Prosecutions would, with my approval, ask chief officers to consult him in every case in which the chief officer wishes to continue criminal proceedings contrary to the advice of the solicitor having conduct of the proceedings. The director has now written to chief officers making such a request.