Appendices
Appendix 1
Copy of a letter from Rt Hon Alan Beith MP, Chairman,
Constitutional Affairs Select Committee, to Rt Hon Lord Falconer
of Thoroton, Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and
Lord Chancellor
You will recall that when we took evidence from you
in April, in the course of our inquiry into Party Funding, the
following exchange took place:
"Q97 Mr Tyrie: ..... can you give the public
an assurance that the Attorney General will not interfere in any
way with the conclusions of the DPP and that the DPP would be
permitted, were there to be something brought to him, to take
any decisions for prosecution wholly independent of the Attorney
General?
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Of course. It is a matter
for the DPP and the Crown Prosecution Service to make decisions
in relation to this in the normal way and, of course, the Attorney
General would not interfere in the normal course of decisions
being made."
You will understand that the Committee was surprised
to hear reports that the Attorney General intended to play an
active role in any decision relating to prosecution under the
1925 Act. I would be grateful if you could explain whether the
assurance which you gave the Committee was correct — namely,
that the Attorney General would not play an active role in any
decisions relating to potential cases under the 1925 Act —
or whether it is intended that he will take an active roll in
making such decisions.
We are just bringing our inquiry into this subject
to an end and it would be very helpful if you could send me an
early reply to this question in time for our deliberative session
on Wednesday 6th December.
I am copying this letter to the Attorney General.
20 November 2006
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