TNAG-0722-FCO40-920-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1978 — Page 138

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Mr Stratton

the

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RECEPSO

CONFIDENTIAL

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VIKERY NO.

28 APR 1978

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DESK OFFICER

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REGISTRY Action Takyn

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PS/Mr Rowlands

No

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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT OVERSEAS TERRITORIES: LETTER FROM MR ARTHUR LATHAM MP

Flag A2131.

Mr Latham has written to ask whether he could take part in any preliminary discussions on the question of capital punishment Flag B(8) in the dependent territories. This follows Mr Latham's earlier Flag

letter on the subject, to which Mr Rowlands replied on 20 March.

2. The Secretary of State's proposal that the policy should be reviewed in Parliament was considered in Cabinet on 23 February.

Ministers then decided that the present political climate in the UK made this an inopportune time to introduce any changes in the present policy. It was recognized that there was a growing

movement in the Conservative Party in favour of restoring the death penalty in the UK for terrorist offences and there was a risk that this would become a major issue in a pre-election period. To raise the question of capital punishment in the dependent

territories at this time might increase that risk since it could

lead to a public debate on the whole question of capital punish-

ment. The Secretary of State therefore undertook to defend the

present policy until the Government were in a position to deal

with the matter once and for all. In his summing up of the discussion the Prime Minister said "The danger of stimulating

public debate of the domestic issue should be pointed out to

those Labour MPs who have been pressing for a change in the

present policy in the dependent overseas territories".

3. Mr Rowlands might feel that he could explain this problem more frankly to Mr Latham orally rather than in writing. But,

recommend thats if he prefers to write he should do so on the lines of the attached draft. This dodges the question put by Mr Latham in

his letter whether he can be included in future discussions of

the problem but since I imagine any further discussions will be

CONFIDENTIAL