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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests his Department received for Augusto Pinochet to be interviewed; when he received such requests; and what factors he will take into account in responding to such requests. [56263] Mr. Straw: Requests made by judicial and law enforcement authorities overseas for persons in the United Kingdom to be interviewed on a voluntary basis in connection with criminal investigations or proceedings are made through the United Kingdom Central Bureau of Interpol (Interpol London) at the National Criminal Intelligence Service and executed directly by the police or other law enforcement agencies. Where such requests are made directly to the Home Office they are referred to the police to execute. The 5th Central Magistrate's Court in Madrid contacted the Metropolitan Police via Interpol on 14 October. Requests made by courts overseas for statements to be made on oath or to be conducted before a judicial authority in England and Wales are made directly or indirectly to the Home Office. The Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, nominate a court in England and Wales under section 4 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 to receive such of the evidence requested as the court considers appropriate for the purpose of executing the request. On 19 October, Interpol London received a request for Augusto Pinochet to make a statement. The request was made under the 1959 European Convention for Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, for which the Home Secretary is the designated United Kingdom Central Authority. As the Secretary of State I will consider whether the request is for evidence to be taken before a court in England and Wales and one for which the exercise of his powers under section 4 of the 1990 Act would be appropriate. If the Secretary of State considers the request is not one for which the nomination of the court would be appropriate, or the requesting authority clarifies that a voluntary statement would be sufficient for its purpose, the request will be passed to the Metropolitan Police to execute.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

318 c123-4W; 56263

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Extradition International cooperation International law Foreign relations Metropolitan Police Pinochet, Augusto Spain Chile INTERPOL