TNAG-0720-FCO40-918-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 103

203

Death Penalty in

[19 JANUARY 1978]

Lord KENNET: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his helpful Answer. In view of the recent riots with loss of life following the executions in Bermuda and of the deplorable charges which were hurled about among the people of Bermuda and between Bermuda and London, will the Government now con- sider the desirability of amending the Creech Jones doctrine and of saying to our few remaining Colonies: If

f you want to stay with us you must take us as you find us, and you must take the smooth with the smooth and abolish the death penalty"?

$6

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: My Lords, my noble friend is aware, of course, that my right honourable friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary has invited the other place to debate this matter in its entirety with a view to resolving outstanding difficulties in the application of the 1947 policy-the Creech Jones formula. I have no doubt that the other place will shortly conduct such a debate and it may be that the invitation, couched as it was in terms of "Parlia- ment", may include this noble House as well.

Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTON: My Lords, will the noble Lord not point out to our Colonies that on the accumu- lating evidence, capital punishment, par- ticularly in the case of political murders, does not deter, but promotes, violence and assassination and is a very silly thing to go into?

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: My Lords, not for the only time am I very glad to agree with the general purpose of the observations of my noble friend.

1

Baroness WOOTTON of ABINGER: My Lords, in initiating this debate throughout our remaining Colonies, has any indication been given of the direction in which Her Majesty's Government would like the outcome to be and, if so, has it been considered that the death penalty ¦ has been abolished in this country over the last 12 years?

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: My Lords, yes, I think that my nobe friend has largely indicated certain indications of Her Majesty's Government's thinking on this matter. It is a fact, as she has

1

204

Dependent Territories

pointed out, that the capital penalty has been abolished in this country since 1965. In fact, it was suspended at that time and finalised in 1970. It is also a fact, as my noble friend has reminded us, that only a few Dependent Territories have declined to follow the example of this country in abolishing this penalty. However, it would be somewhat premature, if not to some extent improper, for the Government to indicate too clearly what they are thinking on this matter before Parliament-and I repeat that Parliament in this country includes both Houses- has discussed this matter and indicated its general view as representative of the view of the population generally. It is, of course, important that before the Government finally indicate their view they should have consulted Parliament extremely closely on the matter.

NAMIBIA: PROGRESS OF TALKS

3.17 p.m.

Lord BROCKWAY: My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in the talks between Western members of the UN Security Council and representa- tives of the Republic of South Africa regarding the future of Namibia.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS: My Lords, the talks between representatives of the five Western members of the Security Council and the South African Government have made considerable pro- gress towards an internationally acceptable settlement in Namibia. There are, how- ever, still a number of difficult problems to be resolved and the five Powers hope to hold further talks in the near future with the parties primarily involved.

Lord BROCKWAY: My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply, but may I ask whether time is not now very short? Is there not the danger that the Republic of South Africa may procced unilaterally with its tribal constitution and its early election under the intimidation of its own troops? Can the Minister say whether the difference of opinic as to the date