Vol. 720 Thursday No. 36 22 July 2010 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) HOUSE OF LORDS OFFICIAL REPORT ORDER OF BUSINESS Introductions: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor, Lord Reid of Cardowan and Baroness Eaton Questions International Criminal Court Bovine Tuberculosis Visas Sheffield Forgemasters Business of the House Motion on Standing Orders Business of the House Timing of Debates Administration and Works Committee Communications Committee Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee Refreshment Committee Membership Motions Policing and Crime Debate Poverty Debate Written Statements Written Answers For column numbers see back page £3·50 Lords wishing to be supplied with these Daily Reports should give notice to this effect to the Printed Paper Office. The bound volumes also will be sent to those Peers who similarly notify their wish to receive them. No proofs of Daily Reports are provided. 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THE INDEX to each Bound Volume of House of Commons Debates is published separately at £9·00 and can be supplied to standing order. WEEKLY INFORMATION BULLETIN, compiled by the House of Commons, gives details of past and forthcoming business, the work of Committees and general information on legislation, etc. Single copies: £1·50. Annual subscription: £53·50. All prices are inclusive of postage. © Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2010, this publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ 1061 Introductions[22 JULY 2010] International Criminal Court 1062 given to the ICC, as I learnt when I represented your House of Lords Lordships’ House at an international meeting of parliamentarians for the ICC? Perhaps I may ask him Thursday, 22 July 2010. a specific question about sexual violence, which is such a major and horrible aspect of war crimes and 10.45 am crimes against humanity. The Government pledged to the review conference to do more for victims, particularly Prayers—read by the Lord Bishop of Bristol. victims of sexual violence. Can he tell us what the Government plan to do specifically to help victims of Introduction: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor this deeply appalling crime? 10.53 am Lord Howell of Guildford: I thank the noble Baroness Matthew Owen John Taylor, Esquire, having been created for her comments, which of course apply equally to Baron Taylor of Goss Moor, of Truro in the County of the previous and the present Government of the United Cornwall, was introduced and took the oath, supported Kingdom. The conference at Kampala adopted a by Lord Tyler and Lord Teverson, and signed an undertaking resolution on the victims issue which recognised the to abide by the Code of Conduct. rights of victims to have access to justice and to participate in judicial proceedings. That applied to Introduction: Lord Reid of Cardowan victims generally. For our part, the United Kingdom is committed to tackling the problem of violence against 10.59 am women. We will continue to promote programmes in The right honourable John Reid, having been created support of this agenda, including measures that will Baron Reid of Cardowan, of Stepps in Lanarkshire, was address the special needs of women and children in introduced and took the oath, supported by Lord Alli areas of conflict. and Baroness McDonagh, and signed an undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct. Lord Chidgey: Will the Minister confirm the importance of the step taken in amending the Coroners and Introduction: Baroness Eaton Justice Act, particularly in regard to enabling prosecutions of suspects for genocide, crimes against humanity and 11.04 am war crimes from 1 January 1991? However, can he also Dame Ellen Margaret Eaton, DBE, having been created tell us how that will be implemented to enable, for Baroness Eaton, of Cottingley in the County of West example, the prosecution of suspects such as the four Yorkshire, was introduced and took the oath, supported Rwandans who have been accused of war crimes but by Baroness Hanham and Lord Bates, and signed an whose extradition failed last year, which has left us in undertaking to abide by the Code of Conduct. a quandary? Lord Howell of Guildford: In answer to my noble International Criminal Court friend I can only express the hope that this will be Question resolved. The Kampala conference addressed these issues but did not reach any final conclusions. A great 11.10 am deal of the conference was simply carrying forward Asked By Baroness Stern and firming up the work of the ICC in the light of its To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their experience, of which my noble friend has just mentioned response to the outcome of the Review Conference one example. I cannot give a more specific answer at on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal this moment. Court held in Kampala, Uganda, from 31 May to 11 June. Lord Archer of Sandwell: I congratulate the Government on the amendment to define aggression. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth However, does the noble Lord agree that the decision Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): My Lords, our to defer its implementation until 2017 demonstrates response is positive. The ICC review conference in that those who oppose international answerability are Kampala was a major milestone in the international at least as determined as those who support it? Can he community’s fight to combat impunity for the most assure the House that the Government will oppose serious crimes of international concern. The stocktaking any further attempts to undermine what has been of international criminal justice will help shape the achieved? future development of the court. The UK will now consider whether to ratify the amendment on the use Lord Howell of Guildford: I do not quite agree with of certain weaponry in a non-international armed the implication of the noble and learned Lord’s question conflict. The conference agreed a package, including although obviously I agree with him about the importance the definition of the crime of aggression and the of the issue; it is a very complex question which was conditions for exercise of jurisdiction, to be put forward discussed in considerable detail at Kampala. The UK for discussion and possible adoption in 2017. has a principled position: that the UN Security Council has primary responsibility for dealing with aggression. Baroness Stern: I thank the Minister for that reply. We maintain that that is right. If in the discussion the Is he aware—I am sure he is—of the considerable complexities of developing a further definition can be gratitude from across the world to the United Kingdom overcome, then the general purpose—all are agreed for the support which successive Governments have —is the right one. However, there are some obvious 1063 International Criminal Court[LORDS] Bovine Tuberculosis 1064 [LORD HOWELL OF GUILDFORD] The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, complexities here that need resolving. They are not in Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs any way against carrying forward the concern with (Lord Henley): Tuberculin skin tests are the internationally crimes of aggression; the only question is the technique accepted standard for detecting TB. Many countries and method by which that should be done. have eradicated TB using a test and slaughter approach. In England, evidence suggests that without addressing Lord Alton of Liverpool: My Lords, can the Minister the disease in badgers, it will be impossible to eradicate confirm that an International Criminal Court arrest TB in cattle. The department has committed to developing warrant still is outstanding against Joseph Kony, the affordable options for a carefully managed and science-led leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army? The LRA has policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent been responsible for some of the worst violations levels of bovine TB. against women, such as those described by my noble friend Lady Stern a few moments ago, especially in the Lord Dixon-Smith: My Lords, I thank the noble Democratic Republic of Congo and in Uganda, where Lord for that response. There is evidence that the it is estimated that the LRA has killed over 1 million present testing regime correctly identifies the presence people. Will he confirm that a letter was received by of tuberculosis within a herd, but no longer identifies the Prime Minister only a week ago from a young all the infected animals so that after a series of tests, a woman called Juliet, who is here in London and residue of infection is left within the herd which can who was herself raped by the LRA when she was just continue to spread the disease despite the removal of 12 years old? the identified animals. Will the noble Lord ask the Government to conduct a thorough review of the Lord Howell of Guildford: The noble Lord, Lord implications of this? The existing regime is not satisfactory Alton, always speaks with authority and knowledge and there are managerial consequences for biosecurity on these issues.