§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the statutory code of practice in respect of authorised investigators to come into operation.
§ Sir Patrick MayhewYesterday I laid before Parliament the draft code of practice in connection with the exercise by authorised investigators of the powers conferred by schedule 5 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991, as I am required to do by paragraph 7(3) of that schedule. I intend also to make an Order which will bring the code into operation from midnight on 31 December 1993. This short delay is to enable authorised investigators and those who may have to advise persons to be interviewed by them to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the draft code before it comes into operation.
The draft code provides guidance to authorised investigators on how they should exercise their powers and contains a number of valuable stafeguards for those who may be interviewed by them.