§ Mr. AlisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the outcome of the review of policy on extra-territorial jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement. [39721]
§ Mr. HowardI am today publishing the report of the review which I set up with the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. A copy has been placed in the Library. The review advised against any general extension of extra-territorial jurisdiction because of the implications which so substantial an extension of jurisdiction would have for the procedures and rules of evidence of the United Kingdom courts. It recommended, however, in favour of the adoption of a set of policy guidelines, against which proposals for taking extra-territorial jurisdiction over individual offences committed abroad by British citizens and residents should be judged. These are
where the offence is serious (this might he defined, in respect of existing offences, by reference to the length of sentence currently available);where, by virtue of the nature of the offence, the witnesses and evidence necessary for the prosecution are likely to be available in the United Kingdom territory, even though the offence was committed outside the jurisdiction;where there is international consensus that certain conduct is reprehensible and that concerted action is needed involving the taking of extra-territorial jurisdiction;171Wwhere the vulnerability of the victim makes it particularly important to be able to tackle instances of the offence;where it appears to be in the interest of the standing and reputation of the United Kingdom in the international community;where there is a danger that offences would otherwise not be justifiable.Meeting any of the guidelines would not mean automatically that jurisdiction would be taken, but it would be established a prima facie case for considering the issue further.
The review also recommended in favour of the assumption of jurisdiction over acts of conspiracy and incitement committed in this country in respect of offences abroad. I and my colleagues have accepted both of these recommendations.
The review further advised that sexual offences committed against children abroad satisfied a number of the criteria in the guidelines and, in the light of that, we have decided that we should take extra-territorial jurisdiction over such offences.
Legislation to give effect to the proposals for conspiracy and incitement and child sex tourism will be brought forward at the earliest possible opportunity.
172W
Summary of firearms and other weapons and ammunition surrendered to the police aduring the firearms amnesty June 1996 by police force area Number of items surrendered England and Wales Total firearms Police force area Rifles Smooth-bore guns Hand guns Other firearms All firearms Total other weapons Total rounds of ammunition Avon and Somerset 30 354 207 287 878 41 16,410 Bedfordshire 12 86 21 54 173 15 5,200 Cambridgeshire 21 149 47 91 308 7 8,066 Cheshire 37 137 69 133 376 19 11,969 Cleveland 5 53 27 113 198 0 4,043 Cumbria 29 144 80 112 365 13 7,243 Derbyshire 35 87 81 134 337 20 10,730 Devon and Cornwall 125 450 239 296 1,110 71 10,733 Dorset 53 193 110 165 521 55 24,321 Durham 18 108 61 118 305 2 4,774 Essex 68 361 123 241 793 223 15,994 Gloucestershire 30 110 23 147 310 4 5,200 Greater Manchester 21 86 97 216 420 5 17,981 Hampshire 71 293 0 352 716 227 27,500 Hertfordshire 13 57 37 54 161 4 5,366 Humberside 20 109 81 49 259 198 11,021 Kent 50 215 133 190 588 63 14,909 Lancashire 26 185 88 205 504 36 37,938 Leicestershire 26 149 67 162 404 43 11,490 Lincolnshire 44 266 57 99 466 6 13,909 London, City of 0 1 0 5 6 0 1,569 Merseyside 16 39 70 120 245 36 5,948 Metropolitan Police 70 206 283 497 1,056 11 34,895 Norfolk 20 289 79 217 605 5 15,155 Northamptonshire 16 86 58 62 222 5 2,411 Northumbria 44 101 109 174 428 5 16,499 North Yorkshire 26 130 68 87 311 17 9,259 Nottinghamshire 11 200 84 217 512 18 10,338 South Yorkshire 17 81 139 115 352 180 9,860 Staffordshire 24 155 71 173 423 59 20,635 Suffolk 57 324 107 162 650 79 16,468 Surrey 32 111 94 131 368 91 12,960 Sussex 73 282 208 310 873 116 35,002 Thames Valley 102 316 211 235 864 53 20,917 Warwickshire 15 80 48 69 212 5 9.666 West Mercia 29 244 85 168 526 24 14,047