HC Deb 14 June 1990 vol 174 cc310-2W
16. Mr. Flannery

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the remaining scientific evidence in the Birmingham pub bombings case, in the light of the statements to the May inquiry that forensic evidence in the Maguire case can no longer be considered reliable.

33. Mr. Mullin

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the remaining scientific evidence in the Birmingham pub bombing case, in the light of the statements to the May inquiry that forensic evidence in the Maguire case can no longer be considered reliable.

44. Mr. Clay

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the remaining scientific evidence in the Birmingham pub bombings case, in the light of the statements to the May inquiry that forensic evidence in the Maguire case can no longer be considered reliable.

Mr. Waddington

I have said on many occasions that I will consider any new evidence which appears to call into question the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six. I will of course take into account any evidence presented to the May inquiry which may be relevant to those convictions.

19. Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigation into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

39. Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigation into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

62. Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigation into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

96. Mr. Meale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigations into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

Mr. Waddington

I refer the hon. Members to the answer given earlier to the question from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short).

23. Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police or other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

56. Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police or other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

65. Mr. Archer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police and other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

79. Mr. Harry Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police or other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

Mr. Waddington

As I made clear in response to a question from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 26 April, I understand that the West Midlands police and the Devon and Cornwall constabulary have made arrangements to ensure that all material in their possession relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case is stored in secure conditions pending the outcome of further inquiries into the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six. Relevant papers in the possession of the Home Office will also be preserved.

38. Mr. Sedgemore

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the 2,000 or so non-material statements which were not made available to solicitors acting for 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. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks).

53. Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the Birmingham six; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten

Since the beginning of this year, we have received representations from Members of both Houses of Parliament, representatives of the clergy and members of the public, both here and abroad, expressing concern about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six.

Careful consideration is given to all representations received about the safety of convictions. My right hon. and learned Friend has asked the chief constable of the West Midlands police for a report on a number of points arising out of representations made to him about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six. These matters are now the subject of inquiries by the Devon and Cornwall constabulary, and my right hon. and learned Friend will take full account of the report of the outcome of those inquiries, together with any other relevant information, before deciding whether his further intervention in the case would be justified.

55. Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the playing cards which were an exhibit in the Birmingham pub bombings case but which have since disappeared.

98. Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the playing cards which were an exhibit in the Birmingham pub bombings case but which have since disappeared.

Ms. Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the playing cards which were an exhibit in the Birmingham pub bombings case but which have since disappeared.

Mr. John Patten

The cards, which were mentioned in the evidence for the defence, were not an exhibit at the trial. It was, of course, open to the defence to bring them before the court if they had wished to do so, but they did not. However, the police are making inquiries to trace the present location of the playing cards said to have been used by various members of the Birmingham Six on the train journey from Birmingham to Heysham.