Lockerbie Air Crash

HC Deb 08 November 1989 vol 159 cc659-60W

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Scoland if he has been approached by Strathclyde police about the length of time taken by the West German federal police to release relevant evidence in the form of an Air Malta loading list from Frankfurt; and what effect this has had on the investigation.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The investigation is being carried out by Dumfries and Galloway constabulary with assistance from Strathclyde police and other police forces who report to my noble and learned friend the Lord Advocate.

The police have not found it necessary to approach the Lord Advocate or any Government Minister in this connection.

The Lord Advocate does not consider that it is helpful to speculate upon specific lines of inquiry or their relevance to the general investigation.

Both he and the chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway constabulary have recently emphasised the importance and productivity of a good working relationship which exists with the West German police and prosecution authorities.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether all the available evidence that is held by the West German police forces investigating the Lockerbie air crash has been made available to the British police force investigating the crash.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

As I have stated in another answer, my noble and learned friend, the Lord Advocate has overall responsibility for the criminal investigation and any criminal proceedings in this country which may result from it.

In a press statement which he issued on Monday 30 October and again on 5 November he emphasised that the degree of international co-operation in this case has been unprecedented. That co-operation has included unprecedented access to evidential material held by the West German federal police (BKA). Neither he nor the chief constable of Dumfries and Galloway constabulary, who is leading the international inquiry, has any reason to believe that any evidence available to the German police has been denied to the investigating team.