§ Lord Spensasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is any obligation on the Attorney General and the prosecuting authorities to ensure that criminal trials are "fair" and not prejudiced by pre-trial publicity.
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern)Sections 1 and 2 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 impose a general obligation to refrain from publications which create a substantial risk that the course of justice will be seriously impeded or prejudiced. Proceedings under that Act may only be brought by or with the consent of the Attorney General. The Attorney General considers matters which are drawn specifically to his attention but it is not his function to monitor all the media in respect of all trials.