§ Sir Ivan LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the treaty between the United Kingdom and the United States of America on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters comes into force and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardI signed the treaty in Washington on 6 January 1994. The other co-signatory was the United States Attorney-General. The treaty will enter into force upon exchange of the instruments of ratification, which, in accordance with the terms of the treaty, will be as soon as possible. The treaty continues in force the drugs agreement entered into by the United Kingdom with the United States of America in 1988 and provides a binding framework within which the United Kingdom and the United States of America may provide a full range of mutual legal assistance covering all crimes. The United States of America is one of the United Kingdom's largest and most important mutual legal assistance partners. In the last two to three years, the United Kingdom and the United States of America have jointly handled more than two hundred requests for mutual legal assistance concerning fraud, drug trafficking and other serious offences. The treaty is a logical next step in the continuing process of collaboration between our two countries in the fight against serious and international crime.