TNAG-1708-FCO40-2383-Hong-Kong-narcotics-offences-and-drug-trafficking-1987 — Page 153

EC (Air Fares)

ECD

شته بالا

MAED.

s Montgomery asked the Secretary of State for spc why the European Community Council of ransport Ministers on 30 June failed to agree an aviation package.

Mr. Channon: When the Transport Council met on 30 June it was not able to adopt a package liberalising air transport in the Community because Spain refused to allow the package to apply to Gibraltar. I was not prepared to compromise Gibraltar's legitimate rights in this way. Despite the fact that every other member state supported the package, the Spanish Government blocked it when they found they could not secure Gibraltar's exclusion.

Hong Kong

HKD

Mr. Ashdown asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his policy towards seeking assurances on the imposition of the death penalty from the People's Republic of China on behalf of fugitives returned to Hong Kong, on the warrant of the Secretary of State, who may be surrendered to the People's Republic of China on 30 June 1997; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what is his policy towards seeking assurances on the imposition of the death penalty from the Governor of

Hong Kong on behalf of fugitives returned to Hong Kong on the warrant of the Secretary of State, who may be surrendered to the People's Republic of China on 30 June 1997; and if he will make a statement;

(3) if, in the exercise of his discretion under section 9(4) of the Fugitive Offenders Act 1967, he takes account of the sentencing policies of any state to whom it is likely a fugitive may be surrendered by a requesting state; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten: Section 9(4) of the Fugitive Offenders Act 1967 provides discretion not to order the surrender of a fugitive accused or convicted of an offence not punishable with the death penalty in Great Britain, if the death penalty could be imposed on that person in the requesting Commonwealth country or dependency. It is the practice in such cases to seek an assurance, before surrendering the fugitive, that the death penalty will not be carried out. In the case of the return of a fugitive to Hong Kong such an assurance would be sought from the Governor. Extradition arrangements after 1997 must be the subject of consultation with the Chinese Government. The United Kingdom has no extradition treaty with China and therefore it is not possible to extradite a fugitive to that country.

Fcs.

Council of Ministers

Q65. Mr. Teddy Taylor asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the outcome of the European Economic Community Council of Ministers' meeting held on 29 June.

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on Wednesday 1 July.__at_columns_ 493-501.

RECEIVE: REGISTRY 16 JUL 1987

REGIS.RY

Acton Taken

سن

HKD

Fis

217187

Extradition

Ра

Mr. Ashdown asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the United Kingdom has an extradition treaty with the People's Republic of China; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten: The United Kingdom has no extradition treaty with the People's Republic of China.

Mr. Ashdown asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards surrendering fugitives to countries with whom the United Kingdom does not have an extradition treaty; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. John Patten: There is at present no power to extradite fugitives to foreign countries with which the |United Kingdom has no extradition treaty. Clause 11 of the Criminal Justice Bill, recently introduced in another place, would, if enacted, enable the United Kingdom to extradite fugitives in the absence of a treaty, provided that the requesting state established a prima facie case against the fugitive.

Mr. Ashdown asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his policy towards delaying the signing of extradition warrants until relevant applications |lying before the European Commission on Human Rights

are decided; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what is his policy towards delaying the signing of extradition warrants where there are allegations of likely ill-treatment in the requesting country, until relevant applications lying before the European Commission on Human Rights are decided; and if he will make a

statement.

Mr. John Patten: The United Kingdom accepts the right of individual petition to the Commission, but is under no obligation under the European Convention on Human Rights to defer the surrender of a fugitive pending consideration of a petition. I understand that it is not the practice of the Commission to ask for surrender to be delayed except where, for example, there are allegations of likely ill-treatment in the requesting state. It is the practice to defer surrender where this is requested by the Commission.

NeAu

AIDS

Mr. Pawsey asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action his Department is taking to alert young people to the risk of AIDS; and what advice is being given about its avoidance.

Mr. Dunn: In June last year my Department published "Children at school and problems related to AIDS”. This booklet addressed primarily the care of HIV infected pupils at school.

To help teachers in introducing AIDS education into their teaching programmes and to help them answer

pupils' questions authoritatively, “AIDS: Some Questions and Answers" containing factual information about AIDS, was published in March. The BBC has been commissioned to produce a video resource package for use in schools with pupils in the 13 to 16 age range. The package will seek to inform pupils of the facts about AIDS and will encourage them to behave responsibly. Pupils will be warned of the risks of casual or promiscuous sexual behaviour, whether heterosexual or homosexual, and of sharing equipment for intravenous drug misuse.

My right hon. Friend will continue to consider ways of supporting and promoting AIDS education.