§ Mr. Franksasked the Attorney-General (1) why the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to institute criminal proceedings arising out of the allegations made by a Cumbrian county councillor of attempted bribery and corruption in connection with land for private housing development contained in the Cartmel and Furness local plan prepared by the planning department of the South Lakeland district council;
(2) if he will place in the Library a transcript of the tape recording arranged by the Barrow-in-Furness division of the Cumbria county constabulary and submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions relating to a meeting and conversation with a Cumbrian county councillor during which there was an alleged attempt at bribery and corruption in connection with land for private housing development contained in the Cartmel and Furness local plan;
(3) if he will place in the Library copies of the statements taken by the Cumbrian county constabulary from the chief planning officer and a member of staff on the South Lakeland district council relating to allegations of bribery and corruption concerning the Cartmel and Furness local plan and submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Director of Public Prosecutions did not institute criminal proceedings arising out of these allegations because he considered that the evidence did not justify a prosecution. When the Director of Public Prosecutions has reached a decision not to institute criminal proceedings in a particular case it is not his policy to give his reasons or to make the evidence available upon which he reached that decision.