Extradition Arrangements: European Union Member States Debate

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Department: Home Office

Extradition Arrangements: European Union Member States

Lord Rosser Excerpts
Wednesday 13th January 2021

(3 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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I will have to get back to the noble and learned Lord because I do not know where that is up to.

Lord Rosser Portrait Lord Rosser (Lab) [V]
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As the Minister said, our trade and co-operation agreement with the EU makes clear that extradition can be refused where a person’s fundamental rights are at risk or where

“they are likely to face long delays of pretrial detention”.

What are the Government going to do to ensure that delays, particularly in the current situation, and an overreliance on detention do not prevent extradition or the pursuit of justice?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)
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The pursuit of justice is paramount but so are the issues of fundamental rights. There is no reason why the new system should not be as swift but, as my noble friends have outlined, it is very important that some of those fundamental rights are upheld.