Question
I thank the Minister for that answer. Sarah Steele was strangled and allegedly sexually assaulted by a US fighter pilot based at RAF Lakenheath. Like in several other cases, some involving child abuse, jurisdiction was wrongly handed to the Americans, with defendants facing a jury of US service personnel. The NATO treaty and the law say that in such cases, our police, prosecutors and courts should be in charge. Victims report charged suspects being free to travel without restriction, dubious acquittals, lighter punishments, and perpetrators potentially avoiding the sex offenders register. I have written to the Justice Secretary about this several times, and so far the replies have been quite general. Will the Government legislate so that any decision to surrender jurisdiction must be approved by an individual Minister?
Answer
The case at RAF Lakenheath, and others that have subsequently come to light, are extremely concerning. As the Minister responsible for international justice and the rule of law, I take the issue extremely seriously. Decisions on jurisdiction are made by the relevant police force in response to the claim by a visiting police force, and should be taken in accordance with the Visiting Forces Act 1952. However, following that case, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council has written to all forces to remind them of their responsibilities under that Act. We must ensure that such cases are heard in the correct jurisdiction. I reassure the shadow Secretary of State that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence are also engaging with the United States on the matter. I will happily work across party lines and across Government Departments to see what more we can do to protect victims.43% vibes
Verdict: RED (22/100)
The reply mainly describes the current arrangement, under which police forces decide jurisdiction over visiting forces under the Visiting Forces Act 1952, and notes that the NPCC chair has reminded forces of their responsibilities. It does not say whether the Government will legislate to change this, and it does not address whether a Minister should approve such decisions. The core of the question is therefore left unanswered in a vague, hedged way, and the questioner would likely need to ask again for a clear position.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government legislate so that any decision to surrender jurisdiction must be approved by an individual Minister? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply describes the existing arrangement, under which police forces decide jurisdiction under the Visiting Forces Act 1952, and notes that the NPCC chair has reminded forces of their responsibilities. It never says whether the Government will legislate, and never addresses whether a Minister should approve such decisions, so the question's core is left unanswered, with no explicit refusal or reason given. |