§ Mr. MillsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the case involving the constituent of the hon. Member for Meriden, Mr. Kevin Bardsley, Home Office reference PDP B19156/8/1, previously of Frankland prison, to judicial review in view of concern about the accuracy of evidence and testimony.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 2 December 1991]: My right hon. Friend has the power, under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968, to refer a conviction to the Court of Appeal, but he would normally do so only if presented with new evidence or a consideration of substance which had not been before the courts and which appeared to cast doubt on the safety of the conviction. Representations about Mr. Bardsley's case have been considered on a number of occasions, but in the absence of anything new that appears to touch the safety of the conviction, so far we have not found any grounds to justify intervention.