HC Deb 26 July 1978 vol 954 cc731-2W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of Home Office Circular 109, Identification Parades and the Use of Photographs for Identification, whether identikit pictures will be treated in the same way as photographs in regard to their viewing by a witness before he attends an identify parade.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

The rules and guidance on the use of photographs for identification do not in general apply to photofit and identikit pictures. But paragraph 6 of the administrative guidance states that when the use of a photofit or identikit picture results in there being a suspect available to be asked to stand on a parade, an officer should avoid showing the picture to other potential witnesses, who should instead be asked to attend any identification parade held.