§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Attorney-General if he will examine the use of the law of evidence Act by local authorities, and give guidelines on the practice of not having officers present in the court on all occasions for which a formal application is made under the Act; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KeyI have been asked to reply.
The Evidence Act 1938 and the Civil Evidence Act 1968, to which I assume the hon. Gentleman refers, apply to local authorities in the same way as to everyone else. I am not therefore aware of any evidence of need for such an examination or such guidelines.