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Armed Forces Bill

I listened to my hon. Friend’s contribution from my office while I was attending another meeting. He will know that, seven years ago, I spent 15 months examining these 306 cases. In 114 cases, I read the files myself. I came up against an apparently immovable obstacle to the granting of a legal pardon. My hon. Friend will also know that I interpreted and extended the word ““pardon”” to mean forgiveness and understanding. I allowed the names of people who were executed to be put back into memorials and cenotaphs, I abolished the death penalty and I went as far as I could without making a specifically legal case. As I understand it, I am now being asked to consider not a full pardon, but a conditional pardon relating to the sentence. When that matter reaches me, I will reflect on it seriously, but I cannot give my hon. Friend any guarantee that, while looking at the issue sympathetically, I will be any more successful than I was last time.