§ Lord Gainfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to abolish capital punishment in the Caribbean Dependent Territories and Bermuda.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (The Earl of Caithness):In order to be consistent with the position in the UK, where Parliament has expressed a clear view, the British Government considers that the death penalty for murder should be abolished in those Dependent Territories which elect to remain under the Crown. Following consultations conducted by our Governors with their Dependent Territory Governments, we shall submit for the approval of HM the Queen at a forthcoming meeting of the Privy Council an order under which the death penalty for murder in the Caribbean Dependent Territories will be abolished and a sentence of life imprisonment substituted. The British Government hope that the Government of Bermuda will decide to follow this example as soon as possible.