§ Mr. Altonasked the Attorney-General, what action the Director of Public Prosecutions has taken so far to seek to extradite Mr. Ed Kale from the United States of America.
§ The Solicitor-GeneralI understand the question to refer to the removal by Edward William Kale in September 1980 of his two children from their home in Liverpool to the United States of America in defiance of a custody order made in favour of his former wife. The matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who concluded that no criminal offence was disclosed. Extradition is not available in respect of alleged contempt of court. Although the law has been amended by the Child Abduction Act 1984, its provisions are not retrospective in effect and accordingly do not provide any basis for an application for extradition in relation to events occuring in 1980.
I also understand that one child was returned to the jurisdiction, but recently was again removed to the United 435W States of America. This is the subject of an investigation by the Merseyside police, who expect shortly to submit a report to the Director.