§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests to and from the United Kingdom remain outstanding from each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [19024]
§ Mr. KirkhopeMy right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for extraditions to and from England and Wales and from Northern Ireland. The information in the first table relates to such cases.
15W
Year Outstanding requests to the United Kingdom Outstanding requests from the United Kingdom 1987 0 1 1988 0 1 1989 1 1 1990 2 3 1991 5 2 1992 9 3 1993 6 2 1994 24 6 1995 38 13 1996 60 32 The table includes all requests which have not been brought to a conclusion. This may be because the request is under active consideration by the Home Office or the courts; because further documentation has been requested; or the individual concerned may be in prison for a domestic offence, in which case extradition action is suspended until he or she is released.
Extradition between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland takes place under the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 and the corresponding legislation in the Republic of Ireland. My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible where the case involves seeking the return of a fugitive who has been convicted by a court in England or Wales, while my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General is responsible where the case involves seeking the return of a person accused of an offence in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Since 1992, the earliest year from which figures are available, the total number of extradition requests outstanding from the United Kingdom to the Republic of Ireland is as follows:
- 1992: 0
- 1993: 3
- 1994: 4
- 1995: 17
- 1996: 15.
16W
Country Number of requests made by the United Kingdom Requests where fugitive returned to United Kingdom Number of requests received by United Kingdom Requests where fugitive returned to requesting country Australia 3 — — — Austria 1 — 1 — Bangladesh — — 1 — Belgium 1 — 7 1 Botswana — — 1 — Bulgaria — — 2 — Canada 2 — 3 — Croatia — — 1 1 Cyprus — — 1 — Denmark — — 2 — Egypt — — 1 — France 3 1 9 1 Germany 4 — 17 3 Gibraltar — — 1 — Greece — — 1 — India — — 1 1 Israel 1 — — — Italy 1 1 7 — Lithuania — — 1 — Netherlands 5 — 9 6 Norway 1 — 1 1 Portugal — — 6 1 Seychelles — — 1 — South Africa 2 — 2 — Spain 15 2 4 — Sweden — — 2 1 Switzerland 1 — 4 — Trinidad and Tobago — — 1 — Turkey 2 — 4 — Uganda — — 1 — United Arab Emirates — — 3 — United States of America 2 — 21 4 Total 44 4 116 20 Figures for requests made by the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom are not available centrally.
§ Mr. CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests the United Kingdom(a) made and (b) received in the last year for which figures are available; how many were successful; if he will list the figures (i) by country and (ii) in total; and if he will make a statement. [19028]
§ Mr. KirkhopeMy right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for extraditions to and from England and Wales and from Northern Ireland. The information in the table relates to such cases. The figures refer to extradition requests made and those received during 1996.
In addition to the figures in the table, a further 15 persons were returned to countries other than the Republic of Ireland in the course of 1996 from requests made in previous years. A further nine persons were returned to the United Kingdom in the course of 1996 from countries other than the Republic of Ireland from requests made in previous years.
Five of the requests made by the United Kingdom were withdrawn. Twenty-two of the requests made to the United Kingdom were withdrawn, and in two cases the fugitives concerned were discharged.
17WExtradition between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland takes place under the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 and the corresponding legislation in the Republic of Ireland. My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible where the case involves seeking the return of a fugitive who has been convicted by a court in England or Wales, while my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General is responsible where the case involves seeking the return of a person accused of an offence in England, and Wales or Northern Ireland.
The United Kingdom made 24 extradition requests to the Republic of Ireland in 1996. The defendant was returned to the United Kingdom in eight of those cases. An order for return was made in a further four cases but appeals are outstanding.
In addition, five persons were returned in the course of 1996 from requests made in previous years.
Figures for extradition requests made by the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom are not available centrally.