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ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Treasury Solicitor's Office (Computer Disc Theft)
Dr. John Cunningham: To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 15 February 1996, Official Report, column 695, what was the relationship between the two people who were the subject of the investigation by the Metropolitan police. [19358]
The Solicitor-General: Brother and sister.
Dr. Cunningham: To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 15 February 1996, Official Report, column 695, what factors underlay the decision that it was not in the public interest to prosecute the woman against whom the Metropolitan police had established sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. [19359]
The Solicitor-General: In order to ensure fair and nationally consistent decisions on prosecutions, the Crown Prosecution Service follows the guidance set out in the code for Crown prosecutors. Copies of the code, which is issued under section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, are available in the Library of the House. Section 6 of the code deals with the factors commonly taken into account in determining where the public interest lies. Those factors were applied in this case.
Public Interest Immunity
Dr. John Cunningham: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions the public interest has been evoked in each of the last three years to protect from prosecution persons against whom the Metropolitan police had established sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for (a) alleged theft and (b) blackmail. [19357]
The Solicitor-General: Following charge, or in cases where advice is sought, it is the Crown Prosecution Service which decides whether a prosecution should proceed or continue. While the service maintains detailed statistics on the cases, it deals with it does not break those figures down either by police force or by type of offence. In order to determine the number of cases which were not prosecuted on public interest grounds it would be necessary to check each file individually. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Restraint and Confiscation Orders
Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Attorney-General how many restraint and confiscation orders have been obtained in each of the last three years; and for what amounts. [17142]
Mr. Maclean: I have been asked to reply.
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 337
| Legislation/court/amount | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 |
|---|---|---|---|
| drug trafficking offences act 1986 | |||
| Crown Court | |||
| Orders made | |||
| Under £1,000 | 675 | 712 | 921 |
| £1,000 and under £3,000 | 164 | 126 | 160 |
| £3,000 and under £10,000 | 82 | 78 | 97 |
| £10,000 and under £30,000 | 43 | 37 | 29 |
| £30,000 and under £100,000 | 22 | 15 | 22 |
| £100,000 and under £300,000 | 13 | 7 | 9 |
| £300,000 and under £1 million | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| £1 million and over | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 1,002 | 983 | 1,248 |
| criminal justice act 1988 | |||
| Magistrates' Court | |||
| Orders made | |||
| £10,000 and under £30,000 | -- | -- | 1 |
| £30,000 and under £100,000 | -- | -- | -- |
| £100,000 and under £300,000 | -- | -- | -- |
| £300,000 and under £1 million | -- | -- | -- |
| £1 million and over | -- | -- | -- |
| Total | -- | -- | 1 |
| Crown Court | |||
| Orders made | |||
| £10,000 and under £30,000 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| £30,000 and under £100,000 | -- | 3 | 4 |
| £100,000 and under £300,000 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| £300,000 and under £1 million | -- | 2 | 1 |
| £1 million and over | -- | -- | 1 |
| Total | 3 | 15 | 12 |
The quality of Confiscation Order data recorded under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 Part VI is suspect as it is often wrongly recorded.
TREASURY
Single European Currency
11. Mr. David Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake a study of the implications of the length of time taken from the decision to introduce decimalisation to its introduction for the introduction of a single currency. [17628]
Mr. Waldegrave: If we were to take part in a single currency in 1999, we would be committed to the timetable agreed by the European Council in Madrid in December 1995.
19. Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of a single European currency on Government spending in Britain. [17637]
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 338
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: It is not immediately obvious that there need be any effects on Government spending, but it is too early to assess the possible impact of a single currency. A full assessment of the costs and benefits will be carried out nearer the time, when the facts are known.
Competitiveness
12. Mr. Merchant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with business leaders regarding the United Kingdom's economic competitiveness. [17629]
Mr. Waldegrave: My right hon. and learned Friend frequently meets business leaders where a wide range of topics, including our improving economic competitiveness, are discussed.
Trade Statistics
13. Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what statistics are retained by his Department on matters relating to trade. [17630]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The Central Statistical Office publishes a large number of statistics covering a wide range of trade data.
European Currency Values
14. Mr. MacShane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he had made of the impact of the current value of the German mark and the French franc on the British economy; and if he will make a statement. [17631]
Mr. Kenneth Clarke: Sterling's value against the German mark and French franc are just two of many factors which influence the British economy. But we do know that the United Kingdom ran a visible trade surplus with EC countries in December for only the third time since monthly records began in 1988.
Export Credits Guarantee Requests
15. Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what records he keeps in respect of Treasury decisions on export credits guarantee requests. [17632]
Mrs. Angela Knight: A record of exchanges between Ministers, minutes of meetings and correspondence between officials is kept for at least 10 years.
Mis-selling of Pensions
16. Mr. Clapham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he plans regarding the mis-selling of pensions. [17633]
Mrs. Angela Knight: The Government continue to support the initiative of the Securities and Investments Board, announced in October 1994, to require reviews of certain personal pension cases. A recent example is the inclusion in the current Finance Bill of provisions to exempt compensation payments from tax.
Government Borrowing
17. Mr. Purchase: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of Government borrowing in the next financial year. [17634]
7 Mar 1996 : Column: 339
21. Mr. Touhig: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the level of Government borrowing in the next financial year. [17639]
Mr. Waldegrave: The Budget forecast of the public sector borrowing requirement for 1996-97 was £22.5 billion.
Drug Control Policy
18. Mr. Booth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the Customs and Excise Department's drug control policy. [17636]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: The reduction of supplies of drugs from abroad is a key part of the Government's strategy for tackling drug misuse, and maintaining the anti-smuggling enforcement effort is a top priority for customs. Customs' drug control policy focuses on:
the prevention and detection of illegal importation and exportation of controlled drugs;
the investigation of organisations and individuals engaged in international drugs smuggling;
the prosecution of drug smugglers; and
the identification to the courts for possible forfeiture of any proceeds of drugs smuggling.
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