'No clash' with SFO banking probe
The Attorney General has moved to dispel concerns that the forthcoming parliamentary investigation into the banking scandal might clash with ongoing criminal inquiries by the Serious Fraud Office.Dominic Grieve said he was "quite sure" any difficulties "ought to be surmountable".
His comments during Commons questions to the Attorney General came after Labour's Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, sought assurances that the select committee inquiry "won't create the very clash that he warned us about".
Mr Reynolds said there was "no doubt" his constituents would have preferred a judge-led inquiry into the banks.
He said: "Now the Attorney General told us during last week's debate that a quick inquiry would clash with ongoing criminal investigations by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).
"So what assurances can he therefore give us that the select committee inquiry which will be wrapped up by Christmas won't create the very clash that he warned us about last Thursday."
Mr Grieve replied: "Provided the select committee conducts its business in the best traditions of the way in which I would expect a committee of this House to do so, I'm quite sure that any difficulties that may arise in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation ought to be surmountable and I actually made that quite clear in the course of the debate."
He added: "The difficulty identified with part of the motion that had been tabled on behalf of the shadow chancellor was that it was quite prescriptive in what it wanted the judicial inquiry to do and I could foresee that that could have caused particular extra problems."
Ed Miliband last week vowed to continue fighting for an independent inquiry into the banking scandal despite MPs rejecting the demands.
The Labour leader said that while the party would co-operate with the parliamentary investigation, its remit was too narrow and a judge-led probe was still needed.
"So what assurances can he therefore give us that the select committee inquiry which will be wrapped up by Christmas won't create the very clash that he warned us about last Thursday."
Mr Grieve replied: "Provided the select committee conducts its business in the best traditions of the way in which I would expect a committee of this House to do so, I'm quite sure that any difficulties that may arise in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation ought to be surmountable and I actually made that quite clear in the course of the debate."
He added: "The difficulty identified with part of the motion that had been tabled on behalf of the shadow chancellor was that it was quite prescriptive in what it wanted the judicial inquiry to do and I could foresee that that could have caused particular extra problems."
Ed Miliband last week vowed to continue fighting for an independent inquiry into the banking scandal despite MPs rejecting the demands.
The Labour leader said that while the party would co-operate with the parliamentary investigation, its remit was too narrow and a judge-led probe was still needed.
© 2013 Press Association