Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988 (Hansard, 18 April 1994)

§ Mr. Michael
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what statistical or empirical research his Department is undertaking or has commissioned into the impact of the abolition of the right to silence under the provisions of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988; the date on which the work commenced; and when he expects the findings will be(a) completed and (b) made public;
(2) if he will identify the statistical or empirical research on the impact of the abolition of the right to silence under the provisions of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, published or unpublished; and if he will place a copy of the relevant documents in the Library;
(3) if he will list any statistical or empirical research on the workings of the relevant provisions of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988, published or unpublished; and if he will place a copy of the relevent documents in the Library;
(4) what evidence he has as to the effect of the abolition of the right to silence in Northern Ireland under the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988.
396W

§ Mr. Tim Smith
Expenditure on major roads schemes —that is, mainly those costing over £200,000—in each division of Department of the Environment Roads Service for the period in question has been as follows:

§ Sir John Wheeler
In 19990, the Northern Ireland Office carried out a statistical analysis of data gathered on a small sample of supsects interviewed by police. The research is, however, of limited value because of the absence of any pre-1988 data with which to compare it. A summary of the research findings has been made available to members of the Standing Committee on the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill; and a copy will now be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Further research is being commissioned by the Northern Ireland Office. This research should provide a fuller legal analysis of the operation and effect of articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1988. It is hoped to complete this by March 1995.