§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 8 June 1999,Official Report, column 259, on the K4 Committee, if he will list the bodies involved in such consultation and publish their responses; what further consultations and discussions have (a) taken place and (b) are planned within the European Union on this matter; what measures he expects to be necessary to implement such a proposal; and on what treaty articles they would be based. [96504]
§ Mrs. RocheMy right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave evidence about the United Kingdom initiative on mutual recognition of judicial decisions in criminal matters to the House of Lords' European Communities Committee before the Tampere European Council. No detailed legislative proposals concerning mutual recognition have yet been tabled in the European Union. The European Council has, however, asked the Council and the Commission to adopt, by December 2000, a programme of measures to implement the principle of mutual recognition. Any proposals for legal instruments will be submitted to Parliament in accordance with normal procedures, and I will also ensure that United Kingdom bodies concerned in implementing the proposals are consulted. It is likely that primary legislation would be needed to implement these proposals. It is expected that the proposals would be based on Article 34 of the Treaty on European Union.