Espionage: China
The question
To ask the Solicitor General, if she will publish legal advice provided to the Crown Prosecution Service on the case relating to the alleged breach of Official Secrets Act on behalf of China.
Answered by Ellie Reeves
Decisions to prosecute are, rightly, made independently of Government by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Consent was given by my predecessor on 3 April 2024. Following that date, no Law Officer intervened in the case at any stage.
Where a case can no longer proceed because of evidential reasons, as in this case, then the requirement is that the CPS informs the Attorney General of the decision as soon as it is taken.
The decision to offer no evidence was a decision made by the CPS, without any political influence, by the Attorney General or me, as the CPS has already confirmed.
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