§ 8. Mr. Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow)What discussions have taken place between the Lord Advocate's office and the US State Department relating to (a) evidence for the Libyan involvement in the Lockerbie bombing and (b) the reliability of witnesses' memories of the event. [41257]
§ The Minister for Home Affairs and Devolution, Scottish Office (Mr. Henry McLeish)It is not appropriate to disclose details of discussions between the office of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate and United States officials.
§ Mr. DalyellWhy not? At what level are they having discussions with the Americans?
§ Mr. McLeishIn my first response I made it quite clear that we cannot disclose details. The Government position remains that those who are accused of acts of terrorism should not be able to dictate the venue or composition of the court before which they are to be tried. Scotland and the United States have exercised jurisdiction in this case, and Libya should now surrender the two accused for trial in either of those countries, as it is required to do under the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.