HL Deb 17 February 1999 vol 597 cc77-8WA
Lord Lamont of Lerwick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Chancellor on 26 January (WA 138–139), why the Crown Prosecution Service could not have acted as the agent of the Kingdom of Spain in the preparation of the first provisional warrant for the extradition of General Pinochet. [HL898]

The Lord Chancellor

Senator Pinochet was arrested by officers of the Extradition Squad of the Metropolitan Police Service at the request of the Kingdom of Spain on the evening of Friday 16 October 1998 pursuant to a provisional warrant issued earlier the same evening by Bow Street Magistrates' Court under Section 8 of the Extradition Act 1989 and Article 16 of the European Convention on Extradition 1957. The Crown Prosecution Service was informed of the arrest on Monday 19 October 1998. It could not, therefore, have acted before that date.

Lord Lamont of Lerwick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Chancellor on 26 January (WA 138–139), what criteria determined that the Crown Prosecution Service was able to act as the agent as the Kingdom of Spain for the arrest of General Pinochet. [HL899]

The Lord Chancellor

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer given on 11 February 1999 (WA 50–51) to him.

Lord Lamont of Lerwick

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Chancellor on 26 January (WA 138–139) and its reference to concerns about the validity of the first warrant for the extradition of General Pinochet, why no reply was given to Kingsley Napley's letter about the first warrant before the second warrant was issued. [HL900]

The Lord Chancellor

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave to him on 10 February 1999 (WA 28).