§ Mr. AncramTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UN Resolution 1373 (2001). [7829]
§ Peter HainUN Security Council resolution 1373 (2001), adopted on 28 September, is the first resolution to impose obligations on all states to respond to the global terrorist threat. It focuses on two key areas: suppressing the financing of terrorism and denying terrorists a safe haven from which to operate. The United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the United Nations has been appointed Chairman of the Security Council committee that will monitor the implementation of this Resolution.
The United Kingdom is obliged to implement immediately the mandatory provisions of the resolution. The Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2001, the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) (Overseas Territories) Order 2001, the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) (Isle of Man) Order 2001 and the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) (Channel Islands) Order 2001 were adopted by the Privy Council on 9 October 2001 and came into force on 10 October 2001. They will implement the mandatory provisions on terrorist financing in the United Kingdom, the Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies.
The orders have been made under section 1 of the United Nations Act 1946. They implement paragraph 1(c) and (d) of the resolution by restricting the making available of any funds or financial services to terrorists and providing powers to freeze accounts of suspected terrorists. Paragraph 1(b) on criminalising fundraising for terrorist purposes can be implemented through the Terrorism Act 2000 in the United Kingdom. However, a specific provision on fundraising is included in the Overseas Territories, Isle of Man and Channel Islands Orders. Copies of all four orders have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
We are also considering urgently what further domestic legislation may be required to take action against terrorism in line with Security Council resolution 1373 (2001).