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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Carlile: To 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. Kirkhope: My 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 Five of the requests made by the United Kingdom were withdrawn. Twenty-two of the requests made to the United Kingdom were withdrawn, and in two cases the fugitives concerned were discharged. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Country Number of requests made Requests where fugitive Number of requests Requests where fugitive by the United Kingdom returned to United received by United returned to requesting Kingdom Kingdom 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 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 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, 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.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

19028; 292 c16-7W

Session

1996-97

Subjects

Extradition Republic of Ireland

Contains statistics

Yes