Topical question asked in the House of Commons, by Mike Penning (Conservative). It was answered on Tuesday, 10 November 2009 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Topical Questions

Question: What prisoner exchange relationships do we have with Venezuela? I have an 18-year-old constituent awaiting trial there. His mental age is below 18, and we are worried about whether he is going to get a fair trial. If he is convicted, is there any mechanism to bring him back to the UK, so that he can finish his sentence here?

Answer: I apologise to the hon. Gentleman, because I cannot answer his question directly without notice. However, I will follow it up, including with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. There are normally arrangements with almost all countries for prisoner transfer. Under long-standing arrangements that pre-date this Government, those arrangements require the consent of the sentencing state, receiving state and, usually, the prisoner—although we are trying to change that. However, I shall write to him with advice on that.

Secondary information