§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on whether any charges are to be made in Scotland under the War Crimes Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonMy noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate issued the following statement on 3 February 1994
A specialised Crown Office Unit was formed in May 1991 to investigate allegations that persons living in Scotland were responsible for war crimes committed during the Second World War.Extensive and thorough investigations of these allegations were carried out by the staff of the Unit in the United Kingdom and overseas. The results of these enquiries were reported to Crown Counsel.After careful consideration Crown Counsel have decided that, as matters stand, there is not at present sufficient available evidence for a criminal prosecution in any of the cases reported to them.Since no war crimes cases remain under active investigation in Scotland, a specialised unit will not be maintained. As with all serious enquiries, however, it will remain open to the criminal authorities to resume their investigations, should fresh evidence be brought to their attention. Any new allegations will, of course, be treated on their merits and investigated as their circumstances require.