§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of the total budget of the Crown Prosecution Service has been accounted for by the case of General Pinochet. [HL1173]
§ The Attorney-General (Lord Williams of Mostyn)The final figures are not yet available. At this stage, the actual CPS expenditure on counsels' fees, interpreters, and travel and subsistence costs, plus an estimate of its internal costs, totals £417,257 in the year 1998–99. This equates to 0.13 per cent of the CPS's budget for that year.
For 1999–2000, figures for actual CPS expenditure, plus an estimate of internal costs, suggests that, as at 18 February 2000, the CPS had spent a total of £181,232 on this case. This figure equates to 0.05 per cent of the CPS's budget for this financial year.
§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Crown Prosecution Service has had meetings with Salvador Allende's political secretary, Joan Garcès, about General Pinochet; and whether the CPS is meant to act simply as an agent of the Kingdom of Spain. [HL1174]
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe Crown Prosecution Service acted as agent for the Kingdom of Spain in the proceedings against Senator Pinochet. In that capacity, a CPS lawyer and counsel attended in Madrid to receive instructions from Judge Baltasar Garzon Réal, to inspect documentation and to advise on the extradition proceedings. In the course of so doing, the CPS lawyer and counsel attended meetings with Judge Garzon Réal at which Dr Joan Garcès was present. Dr Garcès was present in his capacity of a lawyer acting for victims and families of victims interested in the Spanish proceedings. Representatives of other victims were also present.