Science lab warnings 'ignored by Howard'

Forensic service under fire: Home Secretary accused of complacency for failing to act on concerns of three eminent advisers

The Home Secretary was accused last night of "complacency" for ignoring three warnings that an independent watchdog was needed to check the operation of Britain's forensic science laboratories.

The accusation follows Tuesday's disclosure that blunders had been made over IRA cases involving Semtex explosives.

Michael Howard was warned three years ago by the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice under Lord Runciman to set up the independent body to avert blunders by the public laboratories, it emerged yesterday.

It was also disclosed that Professor Brian Caddy, the scientific expert put in charge by the Home Secretary of the inquiry into the blunder, recommended the establishment of the independent body in evidence to a House of Lords Committee chaired by Lord Dainton, a cross-bench peer.

Mr Howard sidestepped the attack in the Commons by Jack Straw, shadow Home Secretary, but Professor Caddy is almost certain to reinforce the demands for the independent watchdog, which was demanded over fears that a move to cut costs to match private competition could lower standards in the public forensic science laboratories.

The first call for an independent body to check on the performance of the forensic science laboratories was made three years ago by the Royal Commission. It was followed by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Taylor of Gosforth, and the Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology.

Mr Straw last night said the Home Secretary had failed to act, despite repeated calls in the wake of the miscarriages of justice involving the Birmingham Six, the Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven.

Lord Taylor warned the Home Secretary in January, 1994 that the establishment of an advisory council was urgently needed because competition with private laboratories had introduced "cost pressures" which threatened standards. "I consider the establishment of such a body now to be overdue," Lord Taylor said.

Mr Howard flew by helicopter from a conference of the Police Federation in Scarborough to defend the Government against an attack of "complacency" in the Commons by Mr Straw. Mr Howard accused Mr Straw of attempting to make "political capital" out of the disclosures that tests might have been contaminated.

The Home Secretary refused to be drawn on which cases could be retried. That review is being carried out by Professor Caddy. Mr Howard sought to avoid the damage to his own reputation by insisting that the forensic laboratory where the mistakes took place was under the ministerial responsibility of Michael Portillo, the Secretary of State for Defence.

Mr Howard denied any attempt to avoid telling the Commons. He said the Home Office was first informed of the blunders on 19 April and he was told on 22 April.

He was given a full briefing on 26 April, and consulted the Secretary of State for Defence on the action to take. "I do not see how I could have acted more expeditiously," he said.

The Runciman report in 1993 said there should be continuing review of the effectiveness of the organisation of the public sector forensic science laboratories by the new advisory council; and it should endeavour to ensure that undue competitiveness did not lead to a diminution of standards.

A call for the retrial of John Kinsella, charged with the IRA bombing in St Helens, Merseyside, was made by Alan Simpson, a leader of the left- wing Campaign Group of Labour MPs. He told the Home Secretary that Kinsella had been convicted on the ground that he had handled a holdall which contained bomb-making equipment for the IRA.

The Home Secretary replied: "The material you submitted is . . . being studied."

Mr Howard said the problems were "regrettable" but he said the alarm caused by Labour over a number of IRA convictions was "disgraceful".