§ 6. Mr. Ben Chapman (Wirral, South)If he will make a statement on recent discussions with his European counterparts on police co-operation. [40268]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Ms Joyce Quin)My right hon. Friend and I last met all our European counterparts to discuss police co-operation at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting on 19 March. A report on the outcome of those proceedings was given in a reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart) on 8 April.
§ Mr. ChapmanDoes my hon. Friend agree that it is only by co-operation with our European partners that we can tackle organised crime? Organised crime knows no boundaries, and it needs to be tackled at least on that basis. That is particularly relevant in the drugs context, and it is important that we lay stress on it during the remainder of our presidency.
§ Ms QuinI agree very much that organised crime and measures to combat drugs trafficking are important issues for co-operation and joint work with our European Union partners. We are extending that work to discussions and co-operation with countries from central and eastern Europe that are applying for membership of the European Union. That work is not greatly reported, but it is important.
§ Mr. A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed)Is the Minister aware that, although we strongly support the development of co-operative work through Europol, the progress of that work could be impaired by the continued existence of a wide legal immunity, which does not apply to British police officers, but which sets Europol in an unfortunate 7 position above the law? We ought to ensure that Europol is in a clearly legally defined position so that we can increase the amount of work it does on our behalf.
§ Ms QuinThe right hon. Gentleman is making a false comparison; Europol is not an operational police force, but is simply a co-operative and intelligence-gathering body. None the less, one of the priorities of the UK presidency is to get Europol up and running, so we are urging those countries which have not yet ratified Europol to do so as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington)When the Minister meets her European counterparts, will she ask them how effective they find national identity cards in dealing with crime throughout western Europe? When they tell her, as they repeatedly will, that the cards are extremely helpful, will she commission a report on the introduction of such cards in the United Kingdom?
§ Ms QuinThose issues are always discussed and under consideration, but they are not frequently the subject of discussions among European Union Ministers, which are much more focused on matters such as the action plan against organised crime, where we can all co-operate and there are not such important different national practices.
§ Mr. John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood)Does the hon. Lady agree that part of the problem with controlling organised crime, especially within continental Europe, is the effect of the Schengen agreement, which was undertaken by certain main European Union countries and which did away with border controls between them? Is it not time that she, through the European presidency that her Government so proudly hold, asked the European Union to re-examine the issue of border controls? Unless member states are far more effective than they are today in controlling the movement of criminals, even Europol and co-operation will not curb the activities of the Mafia and organised crime from central and eastern Europe.
§ Ms QuinOne of the achievements of this Government—one of which the previous Government would not have been capable—was to get a sound legal basis in the Amsterdam agreement for the operation of our own border controls. The countries that form part of the Schengen system agreed that system between themselves and they are entitled to do so, but they certainly feel the need to take measures together and to step up co-operation against crime.