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He said: "It would be a sad day, indeed, if those charged with the heavy responsibility of making decisions to prosecute and implementing those. decisions, a responsibility discharged faithfully and conscientiously, are dissuaded from doing their duty because of over zealous inhibitions over cost and fear of being pilloried for doing their duty.
"In saying this, I do not, of course, advocate that any prosecution. authority should ignore considerations of cost, good housekeeping and accountability. But one cannot make the pursuit of criminal justice subservient to rigid and formulaic concepts of costs."
On procedural matters under the briefing out system, Mr Mathews said he and his colleagues would carefully study the Report's views on procedures and budgetary control arrangements and would consider the lessons to be learned over the role of solicitors where criminal cases were briefed out.
In relating to briefing out procedures generally, Mr Mathews said Members would be aware that the Director of Audit published a report last week setting out a number of recommendations.
He said: "Both Reports have pointed out areas for improvement which I accept. The Department has in fact already taken measures, since January this year, to improve briefing out procedures."
These measures included:
* the documentation on file of the reasons for briefing out in each case;
the keeping of record of all approaches to counsel for briefing out;
*the documentation on file of the reasons for selecting of and negotiation with private counsel for non- standard briefing out;
* the setting up of a selection panel, consisting of two Deputy Crown Prosecutors, responsible for the selection of and negotiation with private counsel for non-standard briefing out;