HC Deb 25 March 1985 vol 76 cc35-6W
Ms. Harman

asked the Attorney-General if he has any plans to repeal section 22 of the Legal Aid Act.

The Attorney-General

My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has no such plans.

Ms. Harman

asked the Attorney-General if he has authorised any prosecutions for breach of section 22 of the Legal Aid Act; and whether he intends to prosecute anyone for breach of section 22 of the Legal Aid Act.

The Attorney-General

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the cases where legal aid assessment officers, acting bone fide in reliance on certain departmental instructions first drawn up in 1951, passed information on legal aid applicants to other officials. Having consulted the Director of Public Prosecutions, I have decided that it would not be right to prosecute in these cases. I have also decided that it would not be right to prosecute those who drew up the instructions, since they did so on legal advice.