Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Clarke of Nottingham and Thomas Docherty

Tuesday 23rd November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Clarke]

The consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions is what we are contemplating. The Government have committed themselves to that. This is a question of arrest; we are looking at citizen’s arrest. We want to keep the right of citizen’s arrest but we do not want it to be a publicity stunt based on inadequate evidence, so we are contemplating making it subject to the DPP’s consent. We are simply trying to find the legislative time to do it. The Government have committed to doing this as rapidly as possible.

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

Can the Justice Secretary tell us how many times he or his Ministers have spoken to the Scottish Justice Minister about prisoners voting rights?

[Mr Clarke]

I have written to Kenny MacAskill and I see him from time to time. I have not yet got a response, but I expect to be in close contact with the Scottish Government when we make any change, because I suspect that it will apply to the entire United Kingdom.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Clarke of Nottingham and Thomas Docherty

Tuesday 19th October 2010 Commons Chamber

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

Will the Lord Chancellor update the House on the Government’s thinking on prisoners having the right to vote?

[Mr Kenneth Clarke]

The Government, led by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, are giving careful consideration to that point.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Clarke of Nottingham and Thomas Docherty

Tuesday 20th July 2010 Commons Chamber

[Thomas Docherty (Dunfermline and West Fife) (Lab)]

On Sunday evening, Radio 4’s “File on 4” programme made serious allegations about Isle of Man shipping companies’ involvement in sanction-busting shipments of arms to Sudan. Given that the Secretary of State has responsibility for the relationship between the Isle of Man and the UK Government, will he hold urgent discussions with the Isle of Man Chief Minister to ascertain what, if any, truth there is to those allegations?

[Mr Kenneth Clarke]

I will certainly follow up that matter as I did not hear the “File on 4” programme. Obviously, the Isle of Man has a good, functioning system of justice and we can confidently expect it to enforce criminal law and international sanctions to the standards that we would expect. However, I will ensure that we contact the Isle of Man to ensure that everything that can properly be done is being done to ensure that no breach of international sanctions that could be prevented is being allowed to go ahead.