My right hon. Friend the Attorney-General has made the following written ministerial statement:

“I am today announcing that with effect from 3 April the Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO) will make charging decisions in all indictable only, either way or summary offences investigated by HM Revenue and Customs.

The Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office was established in April 2005. Under section 37(A)(l)(a) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, as inserted by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and as amended by the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 the Director of Revenue and Customs Office is empowered to issue guidance on charging. A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

I welcome this development which recognises the enormous progress made since the independent Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office was established. This move has also been welcomed by HM Revenue and Customs investigators, who have worked closely with RCPO in identifying issues to be covered in the guidance.”