SECURITY (DIPLOCK REPORT)

HC Deb 26 June 1973 vol 858 cc1320-1

Q6. Mr. Gorst

asked the Prime Minister when he expects to receive the report on security from the Diplock Commission.

The Prime Minister

I assume that my hon. Friend's Question relates to the reference which I announced on 7th June. The Security Commission is already engaged on this and it will submit its report as soon as it can.

Mr. Gorst

While I appreciate that the Prime Minister will not wish to make any comments about the matters under consideration by the Diplock Commission, may I ask him whether he can nevertheless give an assurance that there will be no prior collusion between either the security forces or the police on the one hand and the newspapers on the other if it involves methods such as we have been told were used by the News of the World to obtain information in this case?

The Prime Minister

I must confess to my hon. Friend that I am not entirely clear about the purport of his question. Matters of collusion between the police and so on would in themselves be a breach of the law, and if he has any evidence of this it ought to be brought to public notice so that the Director of Public Prosecutions can take action. I have told the House that all the evidence in the possession of the security forces or the police will be made available. If there is other evidence or matters on which the commission wishes to ask questions or endeavour to obtain evidence or information, it will be given every assistance.

Mr. Lipton

Is the Prime Minister aware that the Diplock inquiry is unlikely to achieve any useful result until and unless the police authorities secure the return to this country of Colin Levy and Norma Levy? What action is being taken to effect their return?

The Prime Minister

As the hon. Gentleman knows, warrants have been issued for their arrest. It is not for the Government but for the police authorities to act in an endeavour to get these people back to the country. Scotland Yard has already denied reports which appeared in the Press over the weekend that these people have been interviewed by the security service abroad. That is not the case.