§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement on his policy concerning the use of informers and their application by the Northern Ireland special branch;
(2) what instructions have been given to Royal Ulster Constabulary officers concerning the use of informers; and to whom the Home Office guidelines have been circulated in the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
§ Mr. Tom King[pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1987, c. 301]: Instructions to RUC officers on the use of informers are in accordance with the Home Office guidelines on the subject which have been promulgated to the force, and which are also an integral part of detective training. It would not he in the public interest to make them publicly available.