§ 15. Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the results of his inquiries into the convictions in relation to which Dr. Clift gave forensic evidence.
§ Mr. BrittanWhen the inquiries have been completed to my satisfaction, I shall inform the House of the results.
§ Mr. AshleyIn the meantime, may we take it that any other prisoners who have been convicted on Dr. Clift's discredited evidence will simply rot in gaol until the Home Office meanders its leisurely way to the end of the very long inquiries?
§ Mr. BrittanThat is certainly not so. A number of the people concerned have already had their convictions quashed by the courts, so the right hon. Gentleman is not justified in making criticisms of that nature. Indeed, it is as a result of my Department's desire to look into these matters so fully that we are looking into 1,500 cases, 135 of them contested cases. Since the Preece case received wide publicity, we expected other people to come forward claiming that they had been wrongly convicted, but they have not done so. I assure the right hon. Gentleman that if any cases come to light in which a reference to the Court of Appeal is justified, or any other action of that nature, I shall immediately take action.