§ Mr Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions were not proceeded with in 1997 on the grounds that to do so would not be in the public interest. [25835]
The Attorney-GeneralA total of 161,461 cases were not proceeded with in the magistrates courts during 1997. Additionally, 7,514 cases were not proceeded with in the Crown Court. However, the Crown Prosecution Service holds no central records on the reasons why cases are discontinued. The information is held only on individual cases files in each branch and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
A survey of all cases not proceeded with in the magistrates courts was conducted during November 1994. The survey showed that during this period, 28 per cent. of discontinuances were undertaken on the grounds that a prosecution was not in the public interest.