§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in theOfficial Report the press statement made by the Crown Office on Friday 19 January concerning matters arising from the resignation of a judge at the Court of Session.
§ Mr. RifkindThe press statement issued on behalf of Crown Office on 19 January was related to allegations of misconduct by Court of Session judges and was in the following terms: 139W
Commenting on allegations of misconduct by Court of Session Judges, a Crown Office spokesman said today:'The Lord Advocate is responsible for investigation and prosecution of crime made known to him. No information or complaint has been provided to him which would allow him to instruct any police force or Procurator Fiscal to carry out a criminal investigation. Any rumour which has been conveyed to him has contained no sufficient specification for such instruction but what checks could be made have been made. They have revealed no basis on which to instruct further investigation.If at any time the Lord Advocate were to be made aware of sufficiently specific allegations to instruct inquiry, the appropriate steps would of course be taken.Allegations of non-criminal conduct by Judges are not matters for investigation by the Lord Advocate.'