Accused Persons (Statements)

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 31 January 1974.

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Photo of Mr Frank McManus Mr Frank McManus , Fermanagh and South Tyrone 12:00, 31 January 1974

Does the hon. Gentleman not accept that the things described in the Question are in fact happening every day, that they are well documented, that reports of them appear in newspapers every day of the week, that unsigned statements are being admitted as evidence, that verbal statements are daily being accepted as evidence, that, since an accused is not allowed to have with him his legal adviser, he is entirely at the mercy of, or dependent upon, the integrity of the police, and that it is a long-proven fact that in political and civil rights affairs the integrity of the police towards the Catholic community in Northern Ireland is simply non-existent? Will he not reconsider the position?