§ Lord Brockwayasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether in view of the continued doubt about the validity of identification parades, they will reconsider the rejection of Lord Devlin's recommendations for changes in practice by police and courts or, alternatively, appoint a commission to survey present practices and make recommendations.
§ Lord BelsteadChanges in the practice regarding the holding of identification parades by the police and the assessment of identification evidence by the courts were set out in Home Office Circular 109/1978 to chief officers of police and in guidelines laid down in 1976 by the Court of Appeal inR v Turnbull. These changes are to a large extent based on the Devlin Committee's recommendations. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has received no evidence that current procedures are unsatisfactory and he has no plans at present for any further review.