Clause 52 - Jurisdiction for terrorist offfences
Crime (International Co-operation) Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
Ms Caroline Flint (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (reducing organised and international crime, anti drugs co-ordination and international and European issues), Home Office; Don Valley, Labour)
Just when one thinks that it is safe . . . There are no plans for similar legislation in overseas territories. That would be a matter for them. In an earlier discussion today, I said that we would provide a note on how the Bill will affect overseas territories. Gibraltar was mentioned.
The hon. Gentleman also asked which state would prosecute. If the offence was committed abroad, the question of where the defendant is tried in the UK would depend on whether the suspect was arrested in the UK and, if so, in which part. The second main factor is which prosecuting authority in the UK sought extradition of the suspect if he was arrested abroad. If the English Crown Prosecution Service sought extradition, it would probably be in England. In
such cases where there may be competing claims from the states involved relating to who will prosecute the subject, the extradition arrangements between states will be used to decide which jurisdiction will prosecute the suspect. I hope that that answers the hon. Gentleman's question.
I will write to the hon. Gentleman about his final point in due course.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 52 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 53 ordered to stand part of the Bill.