Bring prepared for House I Lords Defence & Foreign Affairs Debate
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DEFENSIVE SPEAKING NOTE
Capital Punishment in the Dependent Overseas Territories
Seven dependent territories still retain the death penalty. Under a policy enunciated in 1947 by the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, r Arthur Creech-Jones, and followed since then by successive British Governments, the Secretary of State does not advise Her Kajesty to intervene in capital cases in the dependent territories except in the very rare event that? a miscarriage of justice might otherwise take place.
The questi of whetar dependent territories should be allowed to retain capital punishment raises complex issues. remains the over ent's intention to seek Parliament's views in due cour: 2.
It
[1f presse. 1 it seem very unlikely that there will be time for a debate on this question in the coming Dession.
HKG 386/1
RECEIVED *** **~<~Y NO. 51 1 O NOV 1978
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