§ 33. Mr. R. RICHARDSONasked the Home Secretary whether the facts upon which ex-Inspector Syme has been declared by medical experts to be insane are 1501 substantially the same facts as those upon which he was recently convicted of an offence in law; if not, will he state whether the symptoms of mental disorder discovered by these experts are symptoms which have arisen since his conviction, or symptoms which existed before and during his trial, but were only pronounced to be certifiable when his situation became such that his medical examiners could not be cross-examined and their evidence rebutted; and will he order a full investigation of the circumstances of this certification?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI would refer the hon. Member to the report of the discussion of this case that took place in this House on the 10th December last. Since that date further observation and an independent examination of Mr. Syme's mental condition has made it more than ever clear that he was rightly certified insane. The second part of the question does not arise, as he was not examined before his conviction.