§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Solicitor-General if he will offer immunity from prosecution under the Official Secrets Act 1989 to enable former employees of military intelligence to testify anonymously before the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. [114645]
The Solicitor-GeneralOn 22 February 1999, the then Attorney-General wrote to Lord Saville of Newdigate setting out the terms of an undertaking he gave in relation to witnesses appearing before the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. The terms of the undertaking were as follows
An undertaking in respect of any person who provides evidence to the Inquiry, that no evidence he or she may give before the Inquiry relating to the events of Sunday 30 January 1972, whether orally or by written statement, nor any written statement made preparatory to giving evidence, nor any document produced by that person to the Inquiry, will be used to the prejudice of that person in any criminal proceedings (or for the purpose of investigating or deciding whether to bring such proceedings) except proceedings where he or she is charged with having given 358W false evidence in the course of this Inquiry or with having conspired with, aided, abetted, counsel procured, suborned or incited any other person to do so.The Attorney General concluded his letter by stating that
although the undertaking is cast in terms which preclude the use of evidence given by a witness as the basis for a criminal investigation into the conduct of that witness, this does not amount to any form of immunity. If the question of granting immunity to any individual were to arise, I would need to consider that on an individual case basis.