Topical Questions

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Justice – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 15 February 2011.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Kenneth Clarke Kenneth Clarke The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice 2:30, 15 February 2011

I must make it absolutely clear that the Government are not reducing, in any way, the importance we attach to the proper enforcement of the law against those guilty of war crimes or crimes against humanity. We are making a slight change to the circumstances in which a citizen can obtain an arrest. The prior approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions will be needed, in order to make sure that there is a reasonable prospect of prosecution in the case; that is not where we are at the moment. I assure the hon. Gentleman that nobody on either side of the House wishes to see this country downgrade the importance we attach to enforcing crimes against humanity and war crimes.