Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
DRAFT LETTER
To:-
Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted. Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
............................In Confidence
Ms Jenny Little International Secretary
The Labour Party Transport House Smith Square
LONDON SW1P 3JA
DSR11
Type 1 +
From
Secretary of State
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
Thank you for your letter of 30 January regarding the resolution from the West Derbyshire Constituency Labour
Party.
When capital punishment for murder was abolished in this country in 1969, the Governments of our remaining Dependent Overseas Territories were invited to introduce similar legislation in their own Territories. Seven of them have declined to do so. Hitherto, it has been the policy of successive British Governments to leave the decision on this question to the Governments of the Territor- ies concerned. But, as I said in answering questions following my statement to the House on 5 December about the Bermuda executions, the Government are prepared to review the policy on Capital Punishment in the Dependent Territories if that is Parliament's wish.
the matter before the House shortly.
I hope to bring
Bermuda's constitutional status is, of course, quite different from that of Rhodesia. Bermuda introduced a new constitution in 1968 which was amended in 1973. Bermuda now has an advanced form of internal self-government and the British Government retain responsibility only for defence, external affairs, internal security and the police. British troops were despatched to Bermuda to help restore order at the request of the Governor, who is responsible to the British Government for internal security. His request was made with the full support of the Bermuda
Government.
also
el
With regard to The resolution's condemnation of the Government's "failure to take action to prevent the illegal execution of British Subjects by the Rhodesian regime".
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Dd 108087 400M S&K 1/77
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