Question to the Attorney General:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Attorney General was consulted about the European Arrest Warrant issued for the parents of Ashya King.

Both the police and CPS are independent of Government and save in cases which require his consent to prosecute the Attorney General has no role to play in the decision to apply to a court for a European Arrest Warrant (EAW). The alleged offence in this case did not require Attorney General’s consent and he was not, therefore, consulted prior to the application for a warrant.

After the EAW had been obtained, as superintending Minister for the CPS, the Attorney General did discuss the case with the CPS; but the decision to apply to withdraw the warrant remained entirely that of the CPS.