HC Deb 14 January 1997 vol 288 cc196-7W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his oral statement on 18 December,Official Report, columns 949–50, if he will indicate how the law relating to PII certificates in Great Britain will differ from that in Northern Ireland. [10821]

The Attorney-General

The law on public interest immunity has been developed by the courts in each of the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. This will continue to be the case in both civil and criminal proceedings,

including proceedings in coroners' courts. Practice differs as between the different jurisdictions but in all cases where public interest immunity is claimed, the final decision on disclosure is taken by the court, which will order documents to be disclosed where the public interest in the administration of justice in the proceedings requires it.