§ Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthornasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 25 June 1999 (WA 111) that no further evidence has recently been submitted in the affair of the sale of the Sevso silver, whether the Crown Prosecution Service has sought access to any written statements and documents submitted to the court on behalf of the Marquess of Northampton by his solicitors, Lane and Partners, in the Sevso case (Marquess of Northampton v. Allen & Overy and Peter Mimpriss) in which allegations were made of fraud and fraudulent misrepresentation; and, if not, whether they will now seek to obtain the documentation from the Marquess of Northampton or his solicitors. [HL3397]
§ The Lord ChancellorResponsibility for investigating allegations of criminal misconduct, including the seeking and obtaining of evidence, rests with the police and not the Crown Prosecution Service. It would not be appropriate for the Crown Prosecution Service to seek to obtain evidence.
The decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute in respect of the Sevso silver was taken after
44WA
Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts, for all offences in England and Wales1 and Northern Ireland, 1992–97 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 England & Wales1 2,029,910 1,956,271 1,947,165 1,836,307 1,919,494 1,855,333 Northern Ireland 36,450 38,453 37,667 36,659 34,811 34,471 1 In England and Wales there is a known shortfall in recorded data for 1992 and 1994–96. a careful review of the evidence obtained in the course of the police investigation, including a quantity of material supplied by Lane & Partners, solicitors acting for the Marquess of Northampton.