§ Lord Campbell of Allowayasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will clarify the Answers given by the Lord Chancellor on 10th October (HL Deb, col. 708) in the following respects:
- (a) whether 15 cases were under consideration for prosecution under the War Crimes Act 1991 on 10th October 1994 of which 10 were under consideration by the Director of Public Prosecutions and five by the Crown Prosecution Service; and, if not, what was the position;
- (b) whether, of the 28 cases under consideration on 27th June 1994, any had been excluded from prosecution by 10th October, and, if so, how many;
- (c) when it is expected that outstanding enquiries will be concluded so that the Director of Public Prosecutions may decide whether or not to seek the consent of the Attorney General for the Crown Prosecution Service to institute proceedings under the 1991 Act.
§ The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern)On 10th October 1994, 28 cases were under investigation by the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit relating to alleged war criminals. Ten of those 28 cases have been the subject of interim reports to the Crown Prosecution Service, although my noble friend Lord Ferrers did not refer to them specifically as interim reports (Official Report col. 526). Of these 10 cases, as of 10th October 1994, five had been the subject of substantive reports such that the Crown Prosecution Service is now able to give consideration to the question of prosecution. That process is in hand. As I pointed out in the House, some inquiries have yet to be concluded even in respect of these cases. I can advise my noble friend that this figure has now risen to seven.
Inquiries are continuing into all 28 cases which are currently under investigation. Completion of the outstanding inquiries is a matter for the police service and I cannot predict when their inquiries will be finalised. The Crown Prosecution Service will take decisions about prosecution and seek the consent of the Attorney General, if appropriate, on a case by case basis.