– in the House of Commons at 3:31 pm on 25 November 1991.
Mr Bernie Grant
, Tottenham
3:31,
25 November 1991
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of today's decision by the Court of Appeal to allow the appeal by Winston Silcott, may I ask whether you have received a request by the Home Secretary to make a statement on that matter? If you have not, will you use your good offices to nudge the Home Secretary in that direction so that he apologises to Winston Silcott and his family? We need also to know the position of the police officers who forged Winston Silcott's confessions.
Mr Bernard Weatherill
, Croydon North East
I have had no request for a statement, but that is a matter for the Government. The Leader of the House is on the Government front bench, and I am sure that he has heard the hon. Gentleman's point.
Martin Smyth
, Belfast South
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is in the Chamber. Have you had any request, Sir from the Northern Ireland Office to make a statement on last evening's incidents at Crumlin Road prison? It is the Government's duty to protect prisoners. I appreciate that there are segregation problems, but we have asked the Government to do more about separating prisoners for safety purposes and they have ignored our advice.
Mr Bernard Weatherill
, Croydon North East
Again, I have had no request for a statement. I shall give the hon. Member the same reply that I gave previously: this is a matter for the Leader of the House, who is in the Chamber.
Mr Clive Soley
, Hammersmith
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I should welcome your guidance on the use of private notice questions. I do not wish in any way to criticise you, and I appreciate that I applied today to ask such a question—
Mr Bernard Weatherill
, Croydon North East
Order. That is just it. I am afraid that we do not discuss in the Chamber applications for private notice questions. If the hon. Member would like to see me privately, I shall give him more information.
Jeremy Corbyn
, Islington North
Further to the point of order, Mr. Speaker, raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr. Grant). I am sure that you will agree that there should be a debate on the Court of Appeal system now that three major cases have been overturned in two years after substantial campaigns. That clearly underlines the need for a change in the appeal court system to allow people to have their cases brought before the court without the necessity of a five-year campaign by friends and families. Those people have stood up for justice, despite the abuse that they received from the public.
Mr Bernard Weatherill
, Croydon North East
Order. That is not a matter of order in the Chamber. The Leader of the House is here and will have heard what has been said.
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
