§ 3.8 p.m.
§ The Earl of KINNOULLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the main recommendation of the Hyde Committee in 1976 (Cmnd. 6630) will be implemented.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)My Lords, as I indicated in the reply I gave to a Question by my noble and learned friend Lord Gardiner on 14th February, the Home Office has prepared a paper for the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure about the possibility of an experiment in the tape-recording of police interrogations so that the views of the Commission can be obtained on the desirability and scope of an experiment, in relation to its own work, before a final decision is taken. That paper was submitted to the Royal Commission last month and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
§ The Earl of KINNOULLMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Could he give any indication as to how long the Royal Commission may take to reach a decision on what is only an experiment? Where one is conducting an experiment, is it really necessary to refer such a matter to a Royal Commission?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHYes, my Lords, because it is highly relevant to all the work it is to carry out. That is why we have considered it appropriate to give it this paper. The Royal Commission is now at work. I cannot forecast when we shall have the Commission's reply.