§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Attorney-General whether the Crown Prosecution Service has completed its internal investigation into the reasons for the proportion of cases submitted to it which are dropped; when he intends to publish a report on the investigation's findings; and what action he intends to take in the light of the investigation's findings.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe findings of the survey of cases discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service during November 1993 was placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament on 26 January 1994. The issues are being addressed by the CPS in a number of ways in particular by steps to improve liaison between the police and the CPS including the development of agreed charging standards so that the occasions on which it is necessary to vary charges are kept to a minimum. It is already the policy of the CPS to consult the police in relation to significant variations of charges.