DRAFT
BACKGROUND
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
433
DSR 11C
1.
Mr Kenneth Marks MP, whose name heads the list of
Members supporting the Early Day Motion, asked a similar
question of the Lord Privy Seal on 29 October.
He put
down a Written Question about the BVI case for 13 November:
this was withdrawn.
2. When capital punishment was abolished in the UK, the
dependent territories were asked to consider introducing
similar legislation; however, 7 territories decided to
retain the death penalty. They are:
3.
Belize
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Hong Kong
Montserrat
Turks and Caicos Islands
In Belize, 5 men have been sentenced to death; one is
awaiting a re-trial. Appeals are pending in 2 cases. Two
men in the British Virgin Islands have been sentenced to
death; one has appealed. One man in the Turks and Caicos
Islands is awaiting trial.
4.
The long-standing practice concerning the exercise
of Her Majesty's residual Prerogative of Mercy was
enunciated by Mr Creech-Jones, Secretary of State for
the Colonies, in a statement of 11 August 1947; a copy
is attached. This made clear that the Crown would not be
advised to intervene except where a miscarriage of justice
/had
Dd 427265 250M 5/77 905275
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