§ Lady Olga MaitlandTo 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. [7510]
§ Mr. HowardI and the United States ambassador, His Excellency Admiral William J. Crowe Jnr., signed the protocols of exchange when we exchanged instruments of ratification of the treaty at a ceremony in London yesterday. The United States Attorney General, Ms Janet Reno, also attended. The treaty, which entered into force upon the exchange of instruments of ratification, 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 and in the past three years the United Kingdom and the United States of America have600W jointly handled about 400 requests for mutual legal assistance. The treaty is a major step forward in the continuing process of collaboration between our two countries in the fight against serious and international crime.