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Terrorist Crime
25. Mr. Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to tackle the financing of terrorist crime in Northern Ireland. [25654]
Jane Kennedy: The Government's strategy for tackling terrorist crime in Northern Ireland is two-fold. First, the police must have available to them robust legislative powers. The Terrorism Act 2000 contains a number of financial provisions for seeking information and restraining assets. These powers were supplemented by the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, passed in the wake of the events on 11 September.
Second, in September 2000, the Government established an Organised Crime Taskforce for Northern Ireland. The taskforce brings together the agencies operating in Northern Ireland to agree crime types for concerted multi-agency action. The taskforce has published an assessment of the threat to Northern Ireland society from serious and organised crime, which assesses that approximately half of the organised crime gangs in Northern Ireland have links with the paramilitaries.
Real IRA
26. Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the sources of (a) political and (b) financial support for the Real IRA. [25656]
Jane Kennedy: A clear distinction needs to be made between the expression of political attitudes, opinions and beliefs and the actual commission or instigation of terrorist crime. The Real IRA remains a proscribed organisation. The Government believe that the Real IRA and the 32 County Sovereignty Movement are inextricably linked. However, on the basis of the evidence currently available, the Government assess that the 32 County Sovereignty Movement is not concerned in terrorism.
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Any assessment of the financial support for the Real IRA would inevitably rely on intelligence. It is the Government's policy not to comment on such matters.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Bangladesh
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Bangladesh regarding the policy towards people trafficking. [24269]
Mr. Bradshaw: On 3 December 2001, our high commissioner in Dhaka encouraged the Bangladeshi Home Minister to pursue Bangladeshi signature of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime and its associated protocols on human trafficking and people smuggling. We raise wider human rights concerns with the Bangladesh authorities on a regular basis. When Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed human rights with the then Bangladeshi Home Minister during a visit to Dhaka in September 2000.
British Deaths Abroad
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens have been murdered abroad in each year since 1995; in which countries; and in how many cases the perpetrator has been brought to justice. [25882]
Mr. Bradshaw: The table gives details of where and how many British nationals were murdered overseas since 1996 when we started collating this data. The cost of producing the information requested about the number of perpetrators brought to justice would be disproportionate.
(2) Final figures for 2001 for all countries are still in the process of being collated. This figure may therefore increase.
(3) This figure includes those British passport holders who were killed/reported "missing presumed dead" as a result of the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September.
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Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what protocols are in place to help relations of British citizens killed abroad; and if he will make a statement. [25881]
Mr. Bradshaw: The FCO does all it can to help the families of British nationals murdered overseas. There are no specific protocols—the needs of each family are different. We also give families leaflets published by the FCO on "Victims of Crime Abroad" and "Death Overseas" and put them in touch with relevant agencies in the UK who may be able to help them.
Terrorism (Subcontinent)
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received linking the Lashkar-e-Toiba group to the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament building on 13 December. [25682]
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Mr. Straw: The Indian Government have made public information which points to the involvement of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in the attack on the Indian Parliament. As Home Secretary, I proscribed both these groups in February 2001 because of their clear involvement in terrorist activities.
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