§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he proposes to reply to recent correspondence from the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central about the sentence of Mr. Paul Vickers;
(2) when he expects to conclude his review of the further medical evidence on Paul Vickers's sentence submitted by Mr. Vickers solicitors in October 1990;
(3) whether he has concluded his inquiries into the review of the sentence of Paul Vickers referred to in the answer given to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 1 November 1988, Official Report, column 576.
§ Mr. John PattenDr. Vickers' solicitors made representations on his behalf in August 1988 suggesting that his conviction was unsafe. I wrote to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central on 6 August 1990 informing him that these representations did not provide sufficient ground to justify my right hon. Friend intervening in Dr. Vickers' case. The further representations made by Dr. Vickers' solicitors in October 1990 are under consideration and my right hon. Friend hopes to reach a decision on Dr. Vickers' case shortly. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as a decision has been reached.