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BAe Saudi prosecution: Make law officers accountable to Parliament

December 20, 2006 12:00 AM

Renewing the Liberal Democrat attack on Lord Goldsmith's decision to end the Serious Fraud Office investigation into a BAE Systems deal with Saudi Arabia, Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat Shadow Attorney General and MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey, today called in the House of Commons for Law Officers to be accountable to Parliament rather than the Prime Minister.

Mr Hughes said:

"The Prime Minister's statement on Friday made clear that Mr Blair took responsibility for the decision to drop the prosecution when the only ministers with any constitutional role in prosecutions in England and Wales are the Attorney General and Solicitor General. The Prime Minister's statement makes a mockery of Law Officers' independence and makes it impossible for Law Officers credibly to claim they were not influenced by political considerations.

"In the future Law Officers should be nominated by the Prime Minister but only appointed after agreement by Parliament. And if Parliament lost confidence in them then Parliament should have the right to terminate their responsibilities."

Mr Hughes' comments came in the last debate of the term before the Commons rose for the Christmas break.

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