§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the terms of reference are for the proposed research into the effect of Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and restrictions on the right of silence at the stage of police questioning; what measures he has proposed to address the needs of those at risk with particular reference to(a) children, (b) members of ethnic or linguistic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and what steps he has taken to ensure an (i) independent, (ii) cross-community and (iii) lay dimension to the (A) management and (B) evaluation of the research. [29783]
§ Jane KennedyResearch into the impact of PACE at the stage of police questioning of juveniles is due to be commissioned in March 2002 following the usual competitive tendering procedures. The terms of reference aim to address recommendations 13 and 180 and of the Criminal Justice Review and are currently being finalised. Advice from a leading academic has been sought on the development of the research plan.
Management of the research will be undertaken by a group comprising, at a minimum, the independent researcher(s), a representative of the commissioning police division, and a representative of the statistics and research branch.
A report on the research will be published in due course following a process of peer review.