§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Prime Minister if(a) Ministers and (b) civil servants were consulted over the decision to arrest General Pinochet. [56782]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 28 October 1998]: Under section 8(l)(b) of the Extradition Act 1989, the decision whether to issue a provisional warrant in response to a request from an extradition partner is one for the Bow Street Magistrate. This was a strictly judicial matter and therefore properly not a decision subject to consultation with Ministers. The only consultation which did take place was between the Metropolitan Police and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the technical question of whether Senator Pinochet was entitled to diplomatic immunity.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Prime Minister when(a) he and (b) his officials were first informed that Senator Pinochet had entered the United Kingdom on his current visit. [57432]
§ The Prime MinisterOn 16 October.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list those ministers with whom he has discussed the arrest of Senator Pinochet and the dates on which the discussions took place. [57429]
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§ The Prime MinisterIt is the normal convention under this and previous Governments that discussions which take place between the Prime Minister and Ministers are not routinely disclosed. On this occasion, however, it has been made public that I made clear to the Cabinet on 22 October that there should be no discussion at Cabinet, given that my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary might in due course have to address the issue in a quasi-judicial role.
§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Prime Minister when he was first informed that an international warrant for the arrest of Senator Pinochet had been issued; and who informed him. [57428]
§ The Prime MinisterAs has been made clear publicly, I was first informed by my office on 16 October.