§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications for the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill relating to the defendant's right to silence of the ruling by the European Commission of Human Rights on 18 January in the case of John Murray; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThis was not a decision on the merits of the case. The Commission has simply concluded, as a preliminary matter, that the application is not "manifestly ill-founded", an abuse of the right of petition, or otherwise incompatible with the European convention on human rights. The Government have made it clear in their observations to the Commission that they believe that the Northern Ireland legislation is fully in conformity with the provisions of the convention. The Government believe that the same is true of the similar legislation for England and Wales which is now included in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill.