HC Deb 24 July 1986 vol 102 cc378-9W
19. Miss Maynard

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available a copy of the document in which the prison department accepted responsibility for the injuries inflicted on the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. Hurd

By an amended defence presented during exchange of pleadings in connection with the civil suits pursued by the six men against the Department it was admitted that the men had been assaulted and injured while in prison. It is not the usual practice to make such documents available to anyone other than the parties to the proceedings, but copies of the amended defence and an accompanying explanatory letter were made available to the solicitors of all plaintiffs.

37. Mr. Redmond

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reach a conclusion of the review of the case of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. Mellor

I cannot say when consideration of the case will be completed; that will depend on the extent of any further inquiries my right hon. Friend finds necessary. A decision will be reached as quickly as possible.

40. Mr. Skinner

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has met the chief constable of the west midlands to discuss the implications for his force of the inquiry taking place into the case of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. Mellor

No.

44. Mr. Sedgemore

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he did not ask a different police force to investigate whether the west midlands police had charged the wrong men with the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. Mellor

We saw no reason to approach a different police force. The report which my right hon. Friend sought was on Mr. Mullin's claims to have identified four men involved. It seemed sensible to seek this from the force which was most closely involved in the investigations and which has most knowledge of the case.

46. Mr. Bermingham

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from prison officers, then at Winson Green prison, as to injuries on the six men later convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings at the time of their admission to the prison.

Mr. Mellor

I am not aware of any such representations.

51. Mr. Madden

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Archbishop of Westminster regarding any of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. Mellor

Cardinal Hume wrote to my right hon. Friend on 19 November last to express his concern about the case and to ask that it be reopened.

53. Mr. Clay

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available a copy of the letter he has recently received from the chief constable of the west midlands regarding the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. Mellor

No.

66. Mr. Ernie Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Irish Government concerning the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings; and what was his response.

Mr. Mellor

Formal representations were made to the Government by the Government of the Republic of Ireland in October last year, expressing concern that a miscarriage of justice might have occurred, and asking that the case be reviewed. The Government reply noted the concern expressed, and indicated that my right hon. Friend would consider whether or not it would be right to refer the case to the Court of Appeal.

In addition, he has received two letters referring to the case from the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs.