Undercover Policing

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown Excerpts

Monday 24th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mrs May]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Neville and Doreen Lawrence had every right to expect that the police would do nothing less than hunt down those who murdered their son Stephen. Sadly, as we have seen, it was many years before anyone was brought to justice and there were issues with how the investigation was conducted and with the Metropolitan police, as was shown in the Macpherson report. He is right that if the police are to do their job, they need the confidence and support of the community, which is why it is imperative that where there is wrongdoing, it is identified, and that those who have committed wrongdoing, be it misconduct or criminal activity, are brought to the appropriate justice.

[Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP)]

I thank the Home Secretary for her statement to the House today. Will she tell us when she was first informed of these serious allegations about the undercover operation relating to the Lawrence family?

[Mrs May]

I was made aware that there was a possibility that this allegation was being made only towards the end of last week.