§ 13. Mr. Edward Garnier (Harborough)What steps he is taking to assist in the re-establishment of an independent judiciary in Nigeria. [64599]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Tony Lloyd)We welcome the steps that Nigeria has taken to strengthen an independent judiciary by the installation of a democratically elected Nigerian Government. Through our good governance fund, which is administered by the high commission in Lagos, we have offered support to civil society, including help for the judicial system and for lawyers specialising in human rights work.
§ Mr. GarnierThat is no doubt a well-intended answer, but it is not a very clear one. Will the Minister clarify precisely what he means by it?
§ Mr. LloydOf course I will clarify it. For example, the high commissioner in Abuja made it clear to the Nigerian 704 Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in September that Her Majesty's Government attach the greatest importance to an independent judiciary. To achieve that, we have taken steps with the chief judge of Lagos state and the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies to modify court procedures in order to reduce the number of people on remand.
In the second phase of the court assistance programme, chief justices, attorney-generals, bar associations and other eminent lawyers will work with British colleagues to devise other ways in which to implement a case-flow management system. We are arranging for the chief justice of Lagos state to visit legal institutions in Britain early this year. We have a very good record, which will of course improve with a democratic Government in Lagos. We can begin to reinstitute programme aid, which will allow us directly to assist the federal legal system.
§ Mr. Bob Blizzard (Waveney)Is my hon. Friend aware of the continued failure of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to communicate or co-operate properly with our high commission in Nigeria on consular cases? I have been trying to pursue a case of a constituent of mine who was murdered in that country. I know that there has been virtually no response from Nigerian authorities. The Nigerian Government give information to oil companies in the country, but those companies do not always—in fact, quite commonly do not—share it with our high commission. Will my hon. Friend make it clear to the Nigerian Government that such a way of operating is unacceptable? Will he tell oil companies that operate in Nigeria that it is unacceptable not to share information on their employees, especially when hostage taking is involved?
§ Mr. LloydThe House will sympathise with my hon. Friend and, indeed, his constituents, who have suffered such a loss. We would all accept that there is a duty not simply on the Foreign Office but on Governments of countries in which British citizens are killed—indeed, murdered—to ensure not only that a full investigation is carried out, but that its results are made available to the families of the victims. If my hon. Friend wants to talk either to me or to my noble Friend Baroness Symons, I am sure that we can find ways in which to pursue the matter for him.