§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations have been made to other EU member states, to shorten the period between arrest, detention in custody and charge in their jurisdictions; [29403]
(2) what representations have been made to other EU member states to ensure that United Kingdom citizens subject to the EU arrest warrant will not be held in custody for long periods before trial. [29402]
§ Beverley HughesNone. These are matters for the competent authorities in each member state, including the United Kingdom. Under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which is binding on all member states, arrested or detained persons must be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise judicial power, and they are 393W entitled to a trial within a reasonable time or to release pending a trial. Persons who are deprived of their liberty by arrest or detention are also entitled to take proceedings by which "the lawfulness of their detention shall be decided speedily by a court". The European arrest warrant cannot be used for the purpose of interrogating a suspect, but only for the purpose of conducting a criminal prosecution or executing a custodial sentence or detention order.