HC Deb 05 November 1999 vol 337 cc369-70W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the nature of the Tampere discussions pertaining to Corpus Juris. [96574]

Motoring offences resulting in a curfew order under section 12 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991—July 1995 to June 1997
Offence July to December 1995 January to June 1996 July to December 1996 January to June 1997 Total (July 1995 to June 1997)
Driving whilst disqualified 3 9 19 34 65
Driving with excess alcohol — 2 7 8 17
Driving whilst unfit through drugs — — — 1 1
Failure to provide a specimen — — — 1 1
Taking a vehicle without consent (TWOC) 1 1 6 6 14
Aggravated TWOC — — 2 7 9
Allowing oneself to be carried in a TWOC vehicle — — — 1 1
Aggravated allowing self to be carried in a TWOC vehicle — — — 1 1
Vehicle interference — 1 — 3 4
Dangerous driving — — — 2 2
Traffic offences — — 1 — 1
All motoring offences 4 13 35 64 116

Note:

These figures do not include theft of, or from, a vehicle.

Mr. Charles Clarke

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reported to the House in his statement on 19 October 1999,Official Report, columns 253–65, "Corpus Juris" was not a topic for discussion at the Tampere European Council, nor did the European Council endorse any of the specific proposals in "Corpus Juris" such as creating a European penal code or a European public prosecutor. There was a brief discussion on whether to examine one Corpus Juris proposal, the idea of creating a European Public Prosecutor, concerned only with protecting the financial interests of the Community, but this was not pursued. The conclusions of the European Council were aimed at achieving better compatibility and more convergence between the legal systems of member states".

In particular, the European Council concluded that the principle of mutual recognition, put forward by the United Kingdom, should become the cornerstone of judicial co-operation in both civil and criminal matters within the Union".

The European Council also agreed to create an intergovernmental unit, 'Eurojust', to work in liaison with Europol and the European Judicial Network to help to facilitate the proper co-ordination of national prosecuting authorities', and support national criminal investigations in cases of serious organised crime".