Concurrent Jurisdiction

Wednesday 17th July 2013 Written Statements

[The Attorney-General (Mr Dominic Grieve)]

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has today published the final guidelines to prosecutors on decision making in certain cases involving concurrent jurisdiction. The guidelines, which take immediate effect, follow a recommendation in the report of the review of the UK’s extradition arrangements by the right hon. Sir Scott Baker that there should be more transparency about the principles that are applied by prosecutors in this jurisdiction when determining whether criminal proceedings should be brought here or in another jurisdiction.

The guidelines were issued on an interim basis and were the subject of a consultation exercise that ended on 31 January 2013, The interim guidelines were reviewed in light of the comments received and to ensure that they were consistent with the forum bar legislation that was approved by Parliament earlier this year. The guidelines provide guidance for prosecutors in cases where criminal investigations have been commenced in more than one jurisdiction and involve suspected criminal conduct that crosses international boundaries. The CPS recognises that decisions made in accordance with these guidelines will form the basis of consideration for the courts when applying the forum bar.

The director of the Serious Fraud Office has indicated that his prosecutors will also consider themselves bound by this guidance.

Copies of the guidelines will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.