Written question asked by Ian Lucas (Labour) on Monday, 4 November 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 November 2002. It was answered by Baroness Harman (Labour) on Thursday, 7 November 2002 on behalf of the Solicitor General.

Solicitor-General

Question: To ask the Solicitor General, what discussions her Department had in the case of Regina v Paul Burrell with the Crown Prosecution Service concerning the making of an application for a public interest immunity certificate.

Answer: Mr. Lucas: To ask the Solicitor-General what discussions her Department had in the case of Regina v. Paul Burrell with the Crown Prosecution Service concerning the making of an application for a public interest immunity certificate. [79838] The Solicitor-General: No such discussions took place. There was never any question of continuing with the prosecution while withholding disclosure of the information and no attempt was made to do so. No Minister was asked to give a PII certificate or signed one, nor was a draft certificate ever prepared, nor was any consideration given by anyone to preparing such a certificate to place before the judge. The judge agreed to postpone the disclosure of the information in the public interest until further enquiries had been carried out and a fuller picture obtained so as to enable properly informed decisions to be made, in particular as to the future conduct of the trial.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 79838; 392 c706W;392 c735W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Criminal proceedings Immunity certificates Prosecutions Public interest Trials Royal household Burrell, Paul
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk