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Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald is understood to be preparing to publish Government witness evidence on the withdrawal of espionage charges against the men.
Sources within the government claimed the Cabinet Secretary, the country’s most senior civil servant, had gone to the CPS to discuss the publication of deputy national security adviser Matthew Collins’ witness statement.
This was evidence that the CPS considered did not meet the threshold to proceed with the trial of the two alleged spies because it did not demonstrate that China posed a threat to national security at the time of the alleged crimes.
Senior sources said prosecutors concluded in a meeting with Civil Service chief Mr Wormald that it would be “inappropriate” to release the evidence outside the courtroom.
However, a CPS spokesman denied the Government’s claims.
“The statements were given to us for the purpose of the criminal case, which is now over,” they said.
The spokesman added: “The material they contain is not ours and it is a matter for the Government whether that material should be made public, independently of the CPS.”
