In section 19 of that Act (in cases triable either way, court to begin by considering which mode of trial appears more suitable) the following subsection shall be added at the end—

“(5)

The power of the Director of Public Prosecutions under subsection (4) above to apply for an offence to be tried on indictment shall not be exercised except with the consent of the Attorney General.”

In section 25 of that Act (power to change from summary trial to committal proceedings and vice versa), in subsection (3) before the word “proceed ” there shall be inserted “subject to subsection (3A) below ” and after subsection (3) there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(3A)

Where the prosecution is being carried on by the Attorney General or the Solicitor General, the court shall not exercise the power conferred by subsection (3) above without his consent and, where the prosecution is being carried on by the Director of Public Prosecutions, shall not exercise that power if the Attorney General directs that it should not be exercised.”

In paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 to the Contempt of Court Act 1981 (meaning of “discontinuance ” in relation to criminal proceedings), the following sub-paragraph shall be inserted after sub-paragraph (a)—

“(aa)

in England and Wales, if they are discontinued by virtue of section 23 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985;”.

After paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 to that Act there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“9A

Where proceedings in England and Wales have been discontinued by virtue of section 23 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, but notice is given by the accused under subsection (7) of that section to the effect that he wants the proceedings to continue, they become active again with the giving of that notice.”