§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Attorney-General what factors he took into account in deciding not to grant his consent to the prosecution of the editor of The Sun and the cartoonist who signs his name as Franklin in respect of an allegation that they had committed on offence contrary to section 5A of the Public Order Act 1936; and if he will make a statement.
The Attorney-GeneralI took into account all the relevant circumstances of the case when reaching my decision. These circumstances included as one—I stress one—of the facts, a mistake in my Department which arose from a misunderstanding between myself and an official and led to the complainants and the staff atThe Sun being wrongly informed that I had decided to prosecute. The true position was that I simply wished police enquiries to be made.