Written question asked by Lord Allan of Hallam , in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 July 1999. It was answered by Lord Morris of Aberavon (Labour) on Wednesday, 7 July 1999 on behalf of the Attorney General.

Attorney General

Question: To ask Mr Attorney General, what guidance he has issued to the Crown Prosecution Service on the prosecution of asylum-seekers in transit in the United Kingdom who have been stopped for bearing false documents.

Answer: Mr. Allan: To ask the Attorney-General what guidance he has issued to the Crown Prosecution Service on the prosecution of asylum-seekers in transit in the United Kingdom who have been stopped for bearing false documents. [89672] The Attorney-General: I have not issued specific guidance on this point. The Crown Prosecution Service has set up a multi agency group to look at policy in relation to this issue and will consider, inter alia, whether specific guidance to prosecutors should be issued. In these cases, as all others, Crown Prosecutors must apply the Code for Crown Prosecutors when making the decision to prosecute. This is a set of general principles requiring the prosecutor to apply an evidential and a public interest test to determine whether a prosecution should take place or not.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 89672; 334 c534W
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Codes of practice Administration of justice Asylum Crown Prosecution Service Forgery Documents Prosecutions Refugees