4X33.

DSR 11C

'That this House reiterates its view that capital punishment should not be reintroduced in the United Kingdom and urges the Government to advise Her Majesty to exercise the Prerogative of Mercy in all cases in British colonies.

The exercise of the Crown's Prerogative of Mercy in those

dependent territories which retain capital punishment

for murder is constitutionally delegated to the Governors

who act in their own deliberate judgement after consulting either their Executive Councils or a specially constituted

Committee. This delegation does not preclude Her Majesty,

acting on the advice of the Secretary of State for Foreign

and Commonwealth Affairs, from exercising clemency. In

practice, an intervention by Her Majesty is extremely rare.

The fact that capital punishment has been abolished in the

United Kingdom would not of itself justify the exercise of

the Prerogative of Mercy in all capital cases in the

dependent territories.

Dit 427265 250M 5/77 905275

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