§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what definition of the term supergrass is used by his Department.
§ Mr. Stanley[holding answer 12 November 1987]: The term "supergrass" or "converted terrorist" is generally taken to apply to those witnesses from terrorist organisations who have decided to give evidence voluntarily in court which leads to a substantial number of their former accomplices being implicated in criminal offences.