HL Deb 25 October 1972 vol 335 cc2244-6WA
LORD JANNER

asked Her Majesty's Government:

  1. 1. What steps they have taken and/or propose to take in order to prevent (a) the hijacking of aeroplanes, and (b) the harbouring and training of criminals for this purpose being permitted encouraged or condoned by States;
  2. 2. What conventions relating to these matters have been signed, and which ratified by the United Kingdom;
  3. 3. Whether they will now consider denying our facilities to those States which permit the aforesaid harbouring or training;
  4. 4. Which States have ratified the respective conventions relating to hijacking.

THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIAN

Over the past few years stringent security precautions have been instituted at British airports and on British aircraft and are kept constantly under review. The United Kingdom has ratified the Convention on Offences Committed on Board Aircraft concluded at Tokyo in 1963 and the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft concluded at the Hague in 1970. The United Kingdom has signed the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation concluded at Montreal in 1971 and will ratify it as soon as the necessary legislation has been enacted. A Bill for this purpose will be introduced shortly. We are playing an active part in the International Civil Aviation Organisation in seeking agreement on a framework for effective international action, including denial of facilities for air services, against countries which fail to deal adequately with hijackers and those responsible for other acts of violence against civil aviation. The essence of success of any such action is in its collective application by the international community, and action by the United Kingdom alone, or with a small number of other countries, would be ineffective in bringing pressure to bear on the defaulting State.

The following fifty-seven States are parties to the Tokyo Convention: Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Chad, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecudador, Finland, Fiji, France, Gabon, German Federal Republic, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Malagasy Republic, Mali, Mexico, the Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal. Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa. South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States, Upper Volta, Yugoslavia.

The following forty-two States are parties to The Hague Convention: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Byelo-Russian SSR, Canada, Chad, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Dahomey, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Fiji, France, Gabon, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Niger, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland. Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Ukranian SSR, USSR, United Kingdom, United States, Yugoslavia.

The following eleven States are parties to the Montreal Convention: Brazil, Canada, Chad, Israel, Mali, Mongolia, Niger, Panama, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Yugoslavia.