§ Lord Fittasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they will take in the cases of the Maguire family and their co-defendants.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)My right honourable friends the Attorney General and the Home Secretary have now received Sir John May's interim report on these cases. In the light of the report, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has decided to refer the cases of Mr. and Mrs. Maguire, their sons, Vincent and Patrick, Mr. William Smyth and Mr. Patrick O'Neill, to the Court of Appeal under the provisions of Section 17(1)(a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968.
My right honourable friend the Home Secretary will seek the views of the Court of Appeal under Section 17(1)(b) of the 1968 Act on the question of whether it is possible to refer to the court under Section 17(1)(a) the case of a person who is now dead. If the court's view is that such action is legally possible, my right honourable friend the Home Secretary will refer the case of Mr. Patrick "Guiseppe" Conlon also under the provisions of Section 17(1)(a). If the court's view is that such action is not possible he will consider what further steps to take in the light of its advice.
My right honourable friends the Attorney General and the Home Secretary are arranging for Sir John May's interim report to be published tomorrow at 3.00 pm in response to an order of the House for a Return. Copies will be placed in the Library.