Jim Fitzpatrick: ...us do not accept the Government’s contention that these funds cannot be accessed. As we have heard, in the USA, following the Libyan Claims Resolution Act in 2008, US victims of Libyan-sponsored terrorism were paid substantial compensation. So the questions are, and have been for some time: can the funds be used, can the interest be used and what discussions have been taking place with...
Jim Fitzpatrick: It is patently unfair that some victims may not get compensation and others would. The distinction we are drawing, in the absence of a UK fund to compensate victims of terrorism per se, is that the Libyans have paid other Governments in other countries money to compensate their victims. Apparently, we have not been making the same efforts to get Libyan compensation for our victims. If we can...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...clarifies the position: “In the US, an exception to the defence of dispositive foreign immunity was provided to enable victims to sue foreign States who are designated as being state sponsors of terrorism…the UK has no such exemption for state sponsored terrorism”. The question that some of us were asking was why we do not have the same power in the UK, for our victims, as US...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...earlier this week about attacks on members of minority communities. I would be grateful if the Government could do all that they can to help the Government of Bangladesh to address the question of terrorism and intolerance in that country. On the Chennai 6, I commend the work of the all-party group, especially its chair, the hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Kirsten Oswald), which...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...local communities being panicked and scaremongered into opposing shale extraction applications and the need for that national industry to be developed. The measures on counter-extremism, anti-terrorism and security are all welcome. We are living in much more dangerous times, and getting the right balance between civil liberties and the opportunity for the security and intelligence forces...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...are also trying to do so. The starting point for all this seems easy enough. Semtex explosive was sold by the Czechs to the Libyan regime of Colonel Gaddafi. It then supplied that Semtex to various terrorist organisations, including the IRA. That Semtex killed and maimed people. But from there things get much less clear. To its credit, the Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs—I...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...Ireland Affairs Committee suggests that the Blair Government were more interested in the glory of bringing Libya in from the cold, closing down its support for and sponsorship of international terrorism, opening up economic ties and securing UK business contracts.
Jim Fitzpatrick: .... Today, the Government have a chance to signal further commitment not only to the victims, who they have failed, but to the country, by acknowledging that the frontline troops fighting against terrorism are innocent civilians and by ensuring us that when those civilians suffer at the hands of terrorists, their Government are ready to ensure that the sacrifice is acknowledged and the debt...
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Minister mentioned rhinos and elephants and recent reports have shown that terrorists are slaughtering those animals to raise revenue for terrorism. In making their assessment, will the UK Government link up with the experts in counter-terrorism in the Foreign Office to ensure that we make as big a contribution as possible to stopping that dreadful trade?
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...hon. Friend the Member for Harrow West (Mr Thomas) on securing this debate. I want to raise a couple of local concerns, as well as an issue of which I think the Home Office and Government counter-terrorism should be aware. I was on the pilot police parliamentary scheme with Jacqui Lait and Neil Gerrard in the late 1990s, and I am now doing the graduate police parliamentary scheme. If...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...interested in my right hon. Friend’s last point and he is making a powerful case for allowing intercept evidence to be used in court. However, he says that there might be exceptions for counter-terrorism. Might there be exceptions in serious and organised crime cases so that they can be exempt from automatic disclosure? There is a difference between evidence that should be allowable and...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...power only on crossings between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Department for Transport officials and those from the Home Office are in regular contact on the range of international counter-terrorism issues.
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...that that should extend to allowing any police force to deliver those measures. There is an important security point to consider here. Whether one is thinking of airport policing in terms of terrorism, serious and organised crime or simply low-level crime, local community intelligence is key to delivering effective policing. Creating a situation in which one force polices the local...
Jim Fitzpatrick: Currently there are no plans for Department for Transport Ministers to hold discussions with European or US counterparts on improving counter-piracy and counter-terrorism measures on board passenger cruise ships. The Government work with international partners, including the International Maritime Organization, to ensure UK registered cruise ships are given the best advice available to...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...of the Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate (TRANSEC) in the Department covers a range of cross cutting policy and strategy issues. These include liaison with the United Kingdom counter terrorism intelligence community; civil contingencies and exercises; co-ordination of Olympic transport security policy; research, analysis and development; personnel security in relation to...
Jim Fitzpatrick: The measures in the National Aviation Security Programme exist to safeguard passengers from terrorism. They need to be effective and proportionate to the evolving threat, and to minimise burdens on passengers and the industry. We keep these measures under constant review, in close co-operation with the industry. Lord West's review last year broadly supported the direction of travel and the...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...through a series of combined operations and strategic alliances to ensure that the vital sea lanes and choke points are safe to navigate. Also, the Government monitor and assess the risk of terrorism to sea lanes and, as appropriate, set the security level for UK and Red Ensign Group registered ships operating in these areas and advise industry accordingly. The Government also issue...
Jim Fitzpatrick: The measures in the National Aviation Security Programme exist to safeguard passengers from terrorism. They must be effective and proportionate to the evolving threat and minimise burdens on passengers and the industry. These measures are kept under constant review in close co-operation with the industry.
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...dealers. Because of the risk to lives and the disruption that it can cause to train services, the BTP chief constable has described line side cable theft as "one of the biggest challenges after terrorism". To assist in the fight against cable theft, Network Rail and East Midlands Trains have jointly offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of cable...
Jim Fitzpatrick: ...' principle, it is the transport industry that delivers and funds security requirements. The Department for Transport has responsibility for the policy and regulation of these protective counter-terrorism security measures. The Department for Transport supports industry in meeting these requirements through collaborative working to achieve compliance and through the funding of research and...
