House of Lords
Wednesday, 12th March 1997.
The House met at half-past two of the clock: The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.
Prayers--Read by the Lord Bishop of Sheffield.
Miss Roisin McAliskey
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, in the interests of access for her family and proximity to a secure hospital with facilities for ante-natal care, they will transfer Miss R. McAliskey from HMP Holloway to HMP Maghaberry or to Musgrove Park Hospital.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch): My Lords, the transfer of prisoners between United Kingdom jusisdictions is subject to the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1961. This makes no provision for a transfer to any other United Kingdom jurisdiction for these purposes of a prisoner detained in custody under the Extradition Act 1989.
Lord Hylton: My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply; however, I have a few questions. First, why have Her Majesty's Government not advised the German Government to accept the very large amount of bail money that has been offered? Secondly, do the noble Baroness and her colleagues know that the immediate family of the prisoner would welcome her transfer to Northern Ireland where facilities for the care of both the mother and the child, when it is born, are no doubt a good deal better than in Holloway?
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, I have already said that there is no power to do so. It must be a matter for Germany and for the courts in this country; it is not a matter for the Government to make that decision. As regards the care, I can tell the noble Lord that the prisoner is having all her medical needs met in this country.
The Earl of Longford: My Lords, as probably the only Member of this House to have visited the lady in prison, perhaps I may say how strongly I support the proposition put forward by the noble Lord whose highmindedness is questioned by no one. Is it permissible to add that in meeting the lady I had a long talk with her? She is a thoroughly honest young woman who is pregnant--
The Earl of Longford: No, I do not mind what noble Lords say. I am talking about a young woman who is being very badly treated. As I said, she is a thoroughly honest young woman. That is all I want to add.
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, the young lady in question, Roisin McAliskey, is suspected of terrorist acts in Germany. Germany has requested her extradition and she now has to follow the due process of law. It must be for the courts to decide guilt or innocence.
Baroness Hayman: My Lords, on the broader issue of women prisoners generally, can the Minister confirm that there is at present no one individual with responsibility at national level for the management of women prisoner establishments or, indeed, for the provision of policy advice on sensitive areas like the treatment of pregnant prisoners and mother-and-baby units? Is that not a matter worthy of reconsideration?
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, what really matters for women prisoners is that their medical needs are met and met in a practical way at local level. From all that I have heard, I am entirely confident about the facilities available at Holloway for this particular prisoner; and, indeed, for women prisoners generally because there are no special conditions for this prisoner. I am confident that those needs are being met. I believe that what matters is not great bodies at national level but someone making sure that the system works at a local level in a practical way.
Lord Richard: My Lords, can the Minister give the House an assurance, first, that there is no question of this woman being chained during her labour? Secondly, can the Minister confirm that her baby will not be taken away from her?
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, I can give an absolute assurance that this prisoner will not be chained during pregnancy. Indeed, the noble Lord knows that I came to the House with a Statement, following a Statement made by my right honourable friend in another place, confirming that a pregnant woman would not be chained at all from the entrance to the hospital and throughout the whole stay in the hospital until leaving that hospital. Therefore, I can give an absolute assurance on that point.
As regards the noble Lord's second point, I can say that a decision will be taken tomorrow as to whether this prisoner's application can be acceded to; namely, to keep mother and baby together. However, I hope that the noble Lord will agree that there is a great deal to be considered and that, above all, the primary consideration is the health of the baby.
Lord Stallard: My Lords, can the Minister tell the House how much longer the procedure is likely to take before this young woman's case is heard? It seems to have gone on long enough already. What is holding it up?
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, the noble Lord makes a very good point. However, what will hold up the case is the number of times the defendant challenges the system. There are applications for bail, and there will be challenges against any decision for extradition. Those challenges can be taken right through to this House. Therefore, it will depend on how vigorously the
decisions at each stage are challenged. If the case is challenged all the way, I fear that it may be some time next year before a final decision on extradition is taken.
Lord Richard: My Lords, I fully understand what the Minister said about the paramount importance of the welfare of the child. However, can the noble Baroness help us as to what other criteria will be taken into account when the decision is reached as to whether or not the child should be taken away from the mother?
Baroness Blatch: My Lords, there will be social services reports, reports from the Prison Service and, indeed, reports on the interests of the child being met. A great deal will have to be considered. However, all those things will come together tomorrow when a decision will be made. That decision will be conveyed to the prisoner as soon as possible thereafter.
Lord Hylton: My Lords, on the technicalities of the matter, is there a designated court in Northern Ireland for extradition matters and if so why was this prisoner not taken before that court given that she was arrested in Northern Ireland?
Baroness Blatch: No, my Lords, there is not a designated court in Northern Ireland for these purposes.
Baroness Robson of Kiddington: My Lords, does the Minister agree that when one takes the interests of the child into account the first consideration is that the child should be allowed to stay with the mother?
Baroness Blatch: Yes, my Lords, that will be a strong consideration in this case as in any case concerned with keeping a mother and child together.
Drug Smuggling
2.43 p.m.
Lord Campbell of Croy asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether the quantities of narcotic drugs detected and impounded each year by the British authorities, during smuggling into the United Kingdom, have increased since 1990.
Lord Chesham: My Lords, the Answer to the Question is yes. The annual quantity of drugs seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise each year has more than doubled since 1990 from a total of 25.8 tonnes seized in 1990 to 55.6 tonnes seized in 1995.
Lord Campbell of Croy: My Lords, I thank my noble friend for his reply. I have noted reports about the successful discovery of drugs in unlikely hiding places. Can my noble friend confirm that in that connection much help is being provided by trained sniffer dogs? Is full attention being paid to long stretches of irregular
coastline, for example the west coast of the Scottish Highlands, where drugs can be landed and attempts may be made to do so particularly at night?
Lord Chesham: My Lords, definite success has been achieved by the utilisation of sniffer dogs. There are now 90 of them deployed around the United Kingdom. They are trained to detect a wide range of drugs concealed in freight, vessels, vehicles, luggage, postal packages and on the person. In 1995-96 the dogs made 1,112 detections of drugs valued at some £25.9 million--an increase of 10 per cent. on the previous year. Detections of Class A drugs--that includes cocaine and heroin--by dogs rose by 35 per cent. last year. As regards remote parts of the country, Customs and Excise staff are now in flexible, highly mobile anti-smuggling teams based at strategic locations and supported more and more by intelligence information. This is proving effective. In Scotland, for example--which the noble Lord mentioned--front-line anti-smuggling staff have already this year made five commercial drugs seizures with a street value of some £3.3 million compared with two commercial drugs seizures last year valued at £120,000 and one the year before that at £73,000.
Lord Wright of Richmond: My Lords, can the Minister say whether the advertising campaign entitled "Rat on a Rat" has so far had any appreciable effect on drug seizures?
Next Section
Back to Table of Contents
Lords Hansard Home Page