§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are presently awaiting trial as a result of evidence obtained from converted terrorists in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ScottOn 11 January 1984, 202 persons were on remand or had been returned for trial for scheduled offences in cases in which it was intended that an accomplice would give evidence for the Crown.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many suspects have been released as a result of the withdrawal of evidence by converted terrorists in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ScottIt is not possible to correlate the numbers of suspects released with the withdrawal of evidence by converted terrorists, because arrested persons may be released for other reasons and because persons who have been charged on such evidence may also face criminal charges on other grounds. However, the available records show that following the withdrawal of evidence by converted terrorists some or all of the charges against 82 persons were dropped.
§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been convicted and imprisoned as a result of evidence obtained from converted terrorists in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ScottI understand that in trials for scheduled offences during 1982 and 1983 58 persons were convicted (either on their own admissions of guilt or following a plea of not guilty) on the basis of evidence given by accomplices on behalf of the Crown, and were sentenced to terms of imprisonment.