35. Mr. Robert HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the criteria used by the Lord Advocate in deciding whether a prosecution is in the public interest.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonIt is not possible to list the criteria for deciding whether the public interest requires a prosecution in a particular case. The prosecutor considers whether there is sufficient reliable evidence and whether, having regard to all the relevant factors, the circumstances make a prosecution appropriate.