so you don't think cyril smith was guilty of abuse at all?l the inquiry is finished its work. i don't think it is right to suddenly say he was just because of tittle tattle. right. let me ask you one last question, a complete change of subject if i may, lord steel. you were the sponsor of the abortion, the deregulation of... liberalising abortion laws in the 1960s. a big debate now as to whether that should apply in northern ireland. there are two principles, one in devolution turns its up to northern ireland on one is in human rights terms abortion should be legal. i wonder which side of that debate you would fall on? in 1967 the law didn't apply to northern ireland because stormont was up and running and they have their own parliament and it was a matter for them. there isn't a parliament functioning in northern ireland at the moment and for that reason, particularly after the referendum in the republic, i think it is a matterfor the uk parliament to decide. so at this point you think the uk parliament could take that decision because it's