§ Mr. SpeakerThe House will recall that on 20th April I read to the House the terms of two letters which I had received from the Resident Magistrate of Eniskillen in which he informed me of sentences of imprisonment passed respectively upon the hon. Members for Mid-Ulster (Miss Devlin) and Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Mr. McManus). I now have to inform the House that I have received a letter, dated 3rd May, from the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the following terms:
By virtue of Section 1(1)(a) of the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act and Section 8(2) of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, I, as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, am empowered to exercise the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in Northern Ireland. I am formally drawing your attention to the fact that on 27th April, 1972, I exercised these powers to remit all sentences of imprisonment (including suspended sentences) and any fines imposed in respect of offences of organising or taking part in marches or processions held contrary to law between (and including) 25th December, 1971, and 27th April. 1972.This act of clemancy will apply to Mr. F. McManus, Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and Miss B. Devlin, Member of Parliament for Mid-Ulster, both of whom were convicted of such offences and sentenced to six months' imprisonment as notified to you by the Resident Magistrate in his letters of 17th April, 1972.I should add that I am informed that the act of clemancy also applies to the hon. Member for Belfast, West (Mr. Fitt).