Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill — Clause 152 — Director of Public Prosecution's Consent — Universal Jurisdiction Arrest Warrants in Private Prosecutions — 30 Mar 2011 at 19:00

The majority of MPs voted to require the Director of Public Prosecutions' consent before an arrest warrant is issued to a private prosecutor in respect of certain offences such as grave breaches of the Geneva conventions, hostage taking and hijacking, which may be tried in England and Wales wherever the crime has occurred and irrespective of the nationality or residence of the offender.

MPs were considering the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill^[1]. The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• Amendment 2, page 100, line 10, leave out clause 152.

Clause 152^[2] introduced a provision to require the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions before a magistrate can issue an arrest warrant to a private prosecutor in respect of certain offences alleged to have been committed outside the United Kingdom.

The offences in question are those offences in respect of which the United Kingdom asserts universal jurisdiction, in other words, those offences that may be tried in England and Wales even though the crime took place outside the United Kingdom , and regardless of the nationality or residence of the offender. A list of these offences is included in the clause and includes grave breaches of Geneva conventions, piracy where murder is attempted, hostage-taking, hijacking, offences relating to nuclear material, torture and endangering safety at aerodromes.

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (now an Act)
• [2] Clause 152 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill

Debate in Parliament | Source |