Director of Public Prosecutions agrees extra safeguards

The unexpected announcement follows last week's row over the handling by the Crown Prosecution Service of two deaths in police custody. Dame Barbara set up an inquiry into why police officers were not prosecuted over the deaths.

The CPS has named the senior lawyer who's to head the inquiry, which will examine the way serious complaints against the police are handled. He's Judge Gerald Butler QC - the former senior judge at Southwark Crown Court in London. His report will go to the DPP and the Attorney General and will be published.

The new decision by Dame barbara is understood to have been taken at a meeting on Monday called by the Attorney, John Morris, who suggested that additional safeguards be implemented immediately and remain in force until the inquiry concludes. They mean that no prosecuting decision can be taken without independent legal advice, and if the DPP disagrees with the advice, the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General must be consulted.