HC Deb 12 July 1990 vol 176 cc328-30W
15. Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has discussed the Guildford and Woolwich or Maguire cases with(a) the Lord Chief Justice or (b) the Master of the Rolls.

19. Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has discussed the Guildford and Woolwich or the Maguire cases with(a) the Lord Chief Justice or (b) the Master of the Rolls.

Mr. Waddington

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier to the hon. Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Hughes).

16. Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider establishing a public inquiry into the conviction of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. John Patten

Important aspects of this case are now being investigated by the Devon and Cornwall police. It is not possible at this stage to say when the Devon and Cornwall constabulary will be able to report on the results of its inquiries, but I know that the police are fully aware of the need to complete those inquiries as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. My right hon. and learned Friend will decide, in the light of the outcome of those inquiries, whether any further action is called for on his part.

Mr. Mullin

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the original notes of the police interviews with the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings have been recovered; and if they have been made available to the Devon and Cornwall police inquiry.

Mr. John Patten

I understand that officers from the Devon and Cornwall constabulary obtained police pocketbooks and original notes of interviews during their inquiries into certain aspects of this case in 1987.

48. Mrs. Wise

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the nine Surrey police officers who were in Birmingham at the time of the pub bombings have been identified.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon).

38. Mr. Cryer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received seeking a public inquiry into the conviction of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. John Patten

Since the beginning of this year, my right hon. and learned Friend has received approximately 1,100 representations about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six, some of which have included calls for a public inquiry into the case.

32. Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to(a) recover the original notes and (b) identify the authors of Criminal Records Office file 10368/74.

42. Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to(a) review the original notes and (b) identify the authors of Criminal Records Office file number 10368/74.

Mr. John Patten

I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on Friday 6 July, column748.

28. Mr. Canavan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received to date this year about the Birmingham Six; and what action he intends to take.

Mr. John Patten

Since the beginning of this year, my right hon. and learned Friend has received approximately 1,100 representations about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six. When my right hon. and learned Friend has received a report of the outcome of inquiries being conducted into certain aspects of this case by the Devon and Cornwall constabulary, he will consider whether further action is called for.

24. Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been received from members of the prison service regarding the safety of the convictions of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

25. Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been received from members of the prison service regarding the safety of the convictions of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. John Patten

We are not aware of having received any representations about this case from members of the prison service. If any member of the prison service wishes to make representations about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six, my right hon. and learned Friend will of course give them the most careful consideration.

22. Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the inquiry by the Devon and Cornwall police into the Birmingham pub bombings case to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

41. Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider establishing a public inquiry into the conviction of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

Mr. John Patten

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier to the hon. Members for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery), for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) and for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall).

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