§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East on 18 November, what consideration he has given to the possibility of having lay assessors; and whether he plans to give any further consideration to such proposals.
§ Mr. Stanley[holding answer 27 November 1987]: The Government agreed with the conclusion reached by Sir George Baker in his review of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 that the appointment of lay assessors to sit with the judge in Diplock courts would not be an improvement on the present mode of trial. There are no plans to give the subject further consideration.