§ 77. Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his attention has been drawn to the recent trial of Duncan Watt and others in the High Court at Edinburgh; and if, in view of the use made of police agents for the obtaining of evidence, he will cause an inquiry to be made into the practice, especially in cases where the accused are comparatively young, and make a statement.
§ 81. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the concern at the use of agents provocateurs in the case of the four youths recently convicted in Edinburgh, and in view of the previous case in which such methods were used in Edinburgh in 1951, he will cause an independent inquiry to be held into this practice of the police.
§ Mr. J. StuartProceedings in the case referred to were brought by the Lord Advocate in the exercise of his sole discretion after consideration of the available evidence. I have discussed the case with him and I am quite satisfied, as I indicated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond), on 8th December, that no use was made by the police ofagents provocateurs and that no inquiry into police methods is called for.