HC Deb 27 March 1991 vol 188 c466W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the differences between the legislation in force in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) England and Wales with respect to (i) the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989, (ii) the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and (iii) codes of practice made under these Acts, and similar legislation applying to Northern Ireland.

Mr. Kenneth Baker

The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 extends to the whole of the United Kingdom with the exception of the provisions listed in section 28(2) of the Act. The differences between the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 were set out in the explanatory document to the 1989 order, a copy of which was sent to the hon. Member in July 1988. The main difference between the four codes of practice issued under article 65 of the 1989 order and the four codes issued under section 66 of the 1984 Act which came into force in England and Wales on 1 January 1986 is that the Northern Ireland codes of practice do not apply to the exercise of powers conferred by or under the Prevention of Terrorism Act or to arrest or detention under that Act. In addition, the Northern Ireland code C for the detention, treatment and questioning of persons by police officers reflects the provisions of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 which has no equivalent in England and Wales.