Government Controlled Companies: Private Prosecutions

Ministry of Justice written question – answered at on 14 April 2025.

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Photo of Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom Conservative

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede on 27 March (HL5807), what are the names of the companies where the UK taxpayer is the only shareholder which brought a private prosecution using common law powers preserved under section 6(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 in 2024.

Photo of Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Ministry of Justice does not collate or record data on individual private prosecutors, although some prosecutors may publish their own data separately. Therefore, it is not possible to provide data on the number of companies where the UK taxpayer is the only shareholder that have brought a private prosecution in 2024.

This Government considers that it is important that more information about private prosecutors is available to improve confidence in the criminal justice system. This is why we have launched a public consultation on options to improve the oversight, regulation, and transparency of private prosecutors in the criminal justice system, which closes on 8 May. The consultation seeks respondents’ views on improvements to the available data on private prosecutors and the prosecutions they bring.

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