§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his response to the recommendations of Lord Roskill about the handling of fraud trials.
§ Mr. MacleanThe majority of the recommendations made by the Fraud Trials Committee, chaired by Lord Roskill, were accepted by the Government and implemented in the Criminal Justice Act 1987.
The operation of that Act, and the handling of fraud trials generally, is kept under review. In particular, in June 1993, the Lord Chancellor's Department produced the interim report of the working group on long criminal trials, which examined ways of shortening and simplifying such trials, including fraud trials. The recommendations in that report are being considered alongside those made by the Royal Commission on criminal justice relating to the investigation, pre-trial arrangements and conduct of fraud trials. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General announced a review of the Serious Fraud Office and the fraud investigation group of the Crown Prosecution Service on 18 October.