Child Abuse: Police Investigations

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Swinfen

Wednesday 29th October 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the development of multiagency teams in this area has been very helpful over the years. Obviously, some organisations do it better than others but I am happy to write to the noble Lord in terms of where we have got to on this.

[Lord Swinfen (Con)]

My Lords, there appears to be far more abuse of children today than there was 30 or 40 years ago. Is it known why?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I think that there appears to be more abuse of children these days; I do not necessarily think that there is more abuse. We are just far more aware of it and willing to deal with it.

Serious Crime Bill [HL]

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Lord Swinfen

Tuesday 8th July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

Well, my Lords—

[Lord Swinfen (Con)]

Before my noble friend answers that question, might I ask whether our gas and oil rigs and our large, hideous windmills that are beyond the 12-mile limit are within our territorial waters? If so, do not our territorial waters in some instances stretch very much further, and have we not claimed areas out into the Atlantic within the continental shelf in order to protect our own oil rights? Is the limit not much greater than 12 miles?

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Swinfen]

If my noble friend will forgive me, if we have territorial rights that are limited to only 12 miles, who has jurisdiction over the gas and oil rigs that are further out than 12 miles? Are they outside the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom? If a crime is committed on them, is it not a free-for-all?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

I thank my noble friend Lord Bourne for very helpfully clarifying the issue over mineral rights et cetera. If a crime took place on an oil rig, windmill or anything out to sea, it would be a matter for whichever country had a flag on it. I hope that clarifies the matter in respect of anything that might be in any sea anywhere in the world.

On whether the 12-nautical mile radius should still stand, I do not think that that is a question for today. The fact is that it does stand.