HC Deb 15 November 1984 vol 67 cc302-3W
Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the reports of the forensic experts, invited by Dr. Clift to comment on the Home Office conclusions of his work, were submitted to the retirement board.

Mr. Brittan

Yes.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence was given by Dr. Curry, the previous controller of the forensic science service, to the departmental retirement board considering the early retirement of Dr. Clift about Dr. Clift's report on the Preece case.

Mr. Brittan

As I explained in my reply to the right hon. Member's question on 14 November, at column 260, the proceedings of a departmental retirement board are held in private and it would not be appropriate to publish or indicate details of its proceedings.

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Appeal Court cases which followed the investigation of Dr. Clift's work, giving the outcome and indicating the cases in which (a) the court evidence was reassessed by an independent expert, (b) the forensic material was available and re-examined by an independent witness, (c) the material was not available and (d) the sentences were stated by the court to be quashed solely because Dr. Clift had handled the material.

Mr. Brittan

I referred 11 cases to the Court of Appeal. In three of them the appellant subsequently abandoned his appeal. Of the other eight, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeals in five cases, and quashed the convictions in three. In each of the referred cases Dr. Clift's contribution was assessed by a member of the Home Office forensic science service. In two cases, in each of which the appeal was dismissed, he was able to re-examine some of the original samples prior to the hearing; the defence arranged for these samples to be separately re-examined on its behalf. From the information available to me I understand that in no case did the court state that it had quashed the conviction solely on the ground that Dr. Clift had handled the material.