§ Lord Spensasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the estimated cost to central funds of failed prosecutions (where convictions have not been achieved or subsequently have been overturned) conducted by the Serious Fraud Office since its inception.
§ The Lord ChancellorInformation on payments from central funds in individual cases is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
§ Lord Spensasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the estimated cost to central funds of the Serious Fraud Office trials of Regina v. Levitt and Others, Regina v. Ramsden and Regina v. Morris.
§ The Lord ChancellorIt is not possible to give an estimate of the cost to central funds since no claims have been received to-date in any of the cases cited. The defendant Ramsden was legally aided and therefore no costs will fall on central funds. All four defendants inRegina v. Levitt and Others were also legally aided, although one of the defendants was awarded costs from central funds, following his acquittal, for his out-of-pocket expenses.