To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department first received a copy of the book "Error of Judgement"; and what action was taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department first received "Error of Judgement"; and what action was taken.

:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department first received a copy of the book "Error of Judgement"; and what action was taken.

The Home Office obtained a copy of the book "Error of Judgement" shortly after publication in July 1986. On 2 September 1986, the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) discussed the content of his book with officials of the Home Office criminal department, and subsequently discussed a number of the points raised in the book with an assistant chief constable of the West Midlands police. The book was considered by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd), among a number of representations which had been made to him about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six, before his decision on 20 January 1987 to refer the whole case to the Court of Appeal.