HC Deb 17 December 2001 vol 377 c87W
Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards the establishment of a European Network of Contact Points in Respect of Persons Responsible for Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes; which will be the UK contact point; what nature of information will be forwarded to other EU member states; if material relating to cases occurring prior to UK legislation being passed pertaining to the accused's crime will be passed on to the states where retrospectivity is in force for those offences; and in which instances spontaneous transmission will occur under Article 5. [22883]

Mr. Bob Ainsworth

The Government support the establishment of such a network, which is the subject of a draft European Union (EU) Council decision being considered by member states. An explanatory memorandum was submitted for parliamentary scrutiny on 24 October. The network would exchange information relevant to the investigation and prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The Government want to see the fullest possible exchange of such information, in respect of both formal requests and spontaneous transmission, and without limits on when events took place. Options for the UK contact point include National Criminal Intelligence Service and the UK Central Authority.