asked the Attorney-General how many applications to the Director of Public Prosecutions have been made in each of the last 10 years for a consent to private prosecutions; in respect of what alleged crimes such applications were made; and in how many and what percentage of each category of such cases consent was granted and withheld, respectively.

The statistics requested are not kept. I regret that the cost of research involved in giving an accurate reply would be wholly disproportionate to the value of the information likely to be obtained.