§ Lord Campbell of Allowayasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Lord Chancellor's Answer of 28th March (col. WA 149), whether police investigations into the eight cases identified in 1988 by Hetherington Chalmers must continue until additional evidence is available on which the consent of the Attorney will be sought to the institution of proceedings under the War Crimes Act 1991; or whether there is discretion to conclude such investigations on the available evidence and to prefer no charges (as was the case in Scotland), and if so on whose authority such discretion may be exercised.
§ The Lord ChancellorIt is for the Metropolitan Police to decide, as an operational matter, the point at which to conclude investigations. They act in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.