Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Interpol: Red Notices

Tuesday 21 April 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The UK is a strong advocate for Interpol and supports its reform to prevent misuse by states.
  • Richard Quigley's constituent Ollie Bennett is wanted by Interpol for an alleged crime; Quigley seeks support for Bennett's case.
  • The UK government policy does not allow confirmation of Interpol notices in public forums.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Richard Quigley Lab Isle of Wight West
Policing & Resources Justice & Courts Foreign Affairs
Context

The question arises from concerns about the adequacy of safeguards governing Interpol red notices issued in respect of British citizens, potentially affecting their rights and international travel.

Question

What discussions she has had with international counterparts on the adequacy of safeguards governing Interpol red notices issued in respect of British citizens?

Answer from Hamish Falconer

The UK is a strong advocate for Interpol, recognising its critical function in supporting international law enforcement co-operation. We support its ongoing reform programme to ensure there is no space for states to wilfully misuse its systems. The UK is represented at Interpol meetings where the adequacy of its systems are discussed and where we work with like-minded partners to enhance safeguards against abuse.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific discussions with international counterparts on the adequacy of safeguards governing Interpol red notices for British citizens were not detailed.

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Q2 Richard Quigley Lab Isle of Wight West
Crime & Law Enforcement Foreign Affairs

Question

My constituent Ollie Bennett is wanted by Interpol for an alleged crime in Morocco three decades ago. Ollie has always maintained his innocence, and following a debate in this place, his crewmate was granted a full royal pardon for the same charges. Ollie, however, was not. In December, he was arrested and detained in a French police cell. Although he is now safely home, Ollie remains at risk of arrest each and every time he goes abroad. The irony is that the Moroccan authorities have never filed to extradite Ollie, yet a Moroccan-sponsored Interpol red notice for Ollie remains active. Will the Minister commit to meeting me, to ensure that Ollie can access the support that he needs to successfully appeal this red notice and finally end this 30-year-long groundhog day?

Answer from Hamish Falconer

My hon. Friend is a committed advocate for his constituents. I would be very happy to meet him. As he will know, it is a matter of long-standing policy and practice that the UK can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an Interpol alert in a public forum, to protect legitimate criminal justice inquiries, but I would be delighted to meet him.

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Q3 Ben Obese-Jecty Con Huntingdon
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP noted that the government has received a total of 64 category 2 type B extradition notices under section 70 of the Extradition Act 2003, with 56 certified. He highlighted that fewer than five notices are from Bangladesh and asked for specific details on Members of this House.

Question

The Government recently informed me that they have received 64 category 2 type B extradition notices under section 70 of the Extradition Act 2003, of which 56 have been certified. Fewer than five of those come from Bangladesh. Can the Minister confirm how many of those relate to Members of this House, and whether there are any Interpol red notices that apply to Members of this House?

Answer from Hamish Falconer

The hon. Member will have heard the point I just made: it is a matter of long-standing policy and practice that we do not confirm Interpol notices in public.

Not addressed: Specific details on extradition notices related to Members of this House were avoided, as well as the confirmation on Interpol red notices applicable to them.

How: Long-Standing Policy And Practice That We Do Not Confirm Interpol Notices In Public

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