§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give powers to Sir John May's inquiry into the case of the Guildford Four to compel witnesses to attend, to subpoena documents and to provide immunity from prosecution to witnesses.
§ Mr. John PattenMy right hon. and learned Friend has no power to confer on Sir John May the power to compel witnesses to attend his inquiry or to subpoena documents. We have no reason to believe that he will not be able to conduct his inquiry satisfactorily in the absence of such powers.
The question of offering immunity from prosecution to any person in respect of criminal offences is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will usually consult the Attorney-General. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 6 November 1989 at columns 439–40.