Lord Inglewoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
What decision they have reached following consultation on An Independent Prosecution Service for England and Wales (Cmnd. 9074).
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Elton)Cmnd. 9074 sets out proposals for the establishment in England and Wales of a prosecution service independent of the police. Having published those proposals with a view to consultation and discussion in advance of legislation, the Government have reviewed them in the light of the comments received. We have concluded that the response to consultation has produced no new arguments which would justify altering the preference which the White Paper expressed for an integrated national service headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions under the superintendence of the Attorney General. Accordingly we shall prepare, and present to Parliament, legislation on this basis. Within the framework of a national service, it is the intention of my right honourable friend the Attorney General 329WA that individual cases should so far as possible be handled at local level, in accordance with the Government's general policy of maximum delegation for management and decision-taking.
Planning for the introduction of the new service will continue to proceed in consultation with all those who will be involved in the transition to the new system, and with due regard to the interests of those now engaged in work which will come within the ambit of the independent prosecution service.