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Department

Records of the Report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors appointed to consider...

Catalogue reference: RV

What's it about?

RV

The papers of the Committee of Privy Counsellors appointed to consider authorised procedures for the interrogation of persons suspected of terrorism, papers and evidence are in RV 1.

Full description and record details

Reference

RV

Title
Records of the Report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors appointed to consider authorised procedures for the interrogation of persons suspected of terrorism (Parker Inquiry)
Date

1971-1972

Description

The papers of the Committee of Privy Counsellors appointed to consider authorised procedures for the interrogation of persons suspected of terrorism, papers and evidence are in RV 1.

Related material

The final report presented to the Prime Minister can be found in PREM 15/1035

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English

Creator(s)
Committee of Privy Counsellors appointed to consider authorised procedures for the interrogation of persons suspected of terrorism, 1971-1972
Physical description

1 series

Access conditions

Open unless otherwise stated

Immediate source of acquisition

Cabinet Office

Administrative / biographical background

On 16 November 1971 the Home Secretary, The Right Honourable Reginald Maudling MP, announced that a committee of three Privy Counsellors would be set up to investigate interrogation procedures. The inquiry was a response to Sir Edmund Compton's report into allegations of brutality by the security forces in Northern Ireland. One of the conclusions of which was that some of the procedures used in interrogation amounted to physical ill-treatment. The remit of the Parker Inquiry was: 'to consider whether, and if so what respects, the procedures currently authorised for the interrogation of persons suspected of terrorism and for their custody while subject to interrogation require amendment.'

The Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Edward Heath MP, appointed Lord Parker of Waddington to chair the committee. Mr John Boyd-Carpenter was nominated as the Conservative Privy Counsellor, and Lord Gardner was nominated by the Opposition to be the third Privy Counsellor.

The first meeting of the committee was held on 3 December 1971 and a number of further meetings were held thereafter. On 31 January 1972 the final report was delivered to the Prime Minister. The report consisted of both a majority report, authored by Lord Parker and Mr Boyd-Carpenter, and a minority report authored by Lord Gardiner.

Publication note(s)
Report published as Command Paper 4901
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C369/

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This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

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Records of the Report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors appointed to consider authorised procedures for the interrogation of persons suspected of terrorism (Parker Inquiry)