To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15878 by Colin Boyd QC on 21 April 2005, whether it will provide a breakdown of the European Arrest Warrants issued by (a) country to which they were addressed and (b) offence in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005.

Colin Boyd QC:

In 2004 Scotland issued 14 European Arrest Warrants (EAW) so far in 2005 two European Arrest Warrants have been issued.

Of those issued in 2004, eight have been executed and two were withdrawn by Crown Office before they were executed, as the fugitives returned voluntarily to Scotland. Four remain outstanding.

Seven European Arrest Warrants were issued to Spain. Two of these were in respect of the fugitives who returned voluntarily to Scotland. The remaining five were in relation to offences of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement, attempt to defeat the ends of justice, a contravention of Section 27(7) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, embezzlement, a contravention of Sex Offenders Act 1997 Section 2(6E)(A), theft, a contravention of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 Section 17(5). All of these warrants were executed in Spain, and the fugitives returned to Scotland.

One warrant was issued to Portugal in relation to an allegation of a contravention of the Road Traffic Act 1998 Section 1, attempting to defeat the ends of justice and a contravention of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) 1995 Section 27(7). The EAW was executed and the fugitive was returned to Scotland.

Two European Arrest Warrants were executed in The Netherlands for a contravention of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1995 Section 67(2) and Section 67(9) together with a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice. Both EAW were executed (in respect of the same individual) and the fugitive was returned to Scotland.

It would be inappropriate for operational reasons to give details of the European Arrest Warrants issued in 2005 which both remain outstanding.