RSPCA (Prosecutions)

Monday 4th February 2013 Ministerial Corrections

The following is an extract from a speech given by the Attorney-General, the right hon. and learned Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), during the Westminster Hall debate on RSPCA prosecutions on 29 January 2013.

[The Attorney-General]

Another issue raised by hon. Members is that when the RSPCA prosecutes, a cause for concern is that if the RSPCA prosecution is unsuccessful, costs are awarded to the defendant from central funds, and not from the RSPCA. I want to make it clear that first, that will only happen on indictable offences, and secondly, exactly the same rules apply to any other public or private prosecutor.

[Official Report, 29 January 2013, Vol. 557, c. 204WH.]

Letter of correction from Dominic Grieve:

An error has been identified in part of the speech I gave during the Westminster Hall debate on RSPCA prosecutions.

The correct response should have been:

[The Attorney-General]

Another issue raised by hon. Members is that when the RSPCA prosecutes, a cause for concern is that if the RSPCA prosecution is unsuccessful, costs are awarded to the defendant from central funds, and not from the RSPCA. I want to make it clear that exactly the same rules apply to any other public or private prosecutor.