§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Attorney-General if he will list the categories, and the numbers within them, of institutions, for which he or the Lord Chancellor is responsible, in respect of which exemptions are claimed from (a) food hygiene legislation and (b) health and safety legislation on the grounds of Crown immunity; and if he will make it his policy to plan to remove the immunity for the relevant institutions.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI have no such responsibility. The Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for the following premises to which Crown immunity from prosecution under food hygiene legislation and health and safety legislation applies.
Category Number Court Buildings 411 Central departmental offices 13 Regional or local offices 96 Other premises 26 These figures include premises where Crown immunity for food hygiene legislation would apply, but where food sales or preparation are not at present carried out.
The Lord Chancellor's policy on Crown immunity is to consider every case on its merits and to apply standards consistent with the regulations. If he had evidence of inadequate standards in particular circumstances, he would consider, with colleagues, how best to deal with these cirsumstances.