§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Attorney-General what contact took place between his Department and the journalist John Merry of Darlington about the case of Brian Charrington; at what level this was authorised; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNone. The contact between Mr. John Merry and my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin), who had had no departmental involvement in the case at all, took place in my hon. Friend's capacity as a constituency Member of Parliament and without any reference to my Department.
322W
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Attorney-General for what reason a representative of his office met counsel for Brian Charrington; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on Wednesday 26 January to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris). The meeting which I held on 21 December 1992 followed a request by leading counsel for Mr. Charrington to see the Law Officers in order to make representations to them, in view of their general responsibility in relation to prosecutions, about the length of time his client had been in custody and the need for a final decision as to whether the case should proceed having regard to recent representations made by Mr. Charrington's solicitors in the light of the evidence.
The representatives of HM Customs and Excise at that meeting explained that further inquiries were already in hand. It was agreed that these should be expedited and a final advice obtained from prosecuting counsel as soon as practicable. The Commissioners of Customs and Excise, having received that advice, decided on 27 January 1993 to withdraw proceedings against Mr. Brian Charrington. Although the Attorney-General had been kept informed of progress he was not consulted about that decision.