Critics of the government's plans to adopt the European arrest warrant are talking "a lot of nonsense", a Home Office minister said on Thursday.

In a move to ward off expected parliamentary attempts to block the bill, Bob Ainsworth announced "additional safeguards" to protect suspects.

Extradition will be halted where the suspect's physical or mental condition renders their removal unjust.

The government will also refuse to hand over suspect if the charge they face is based on religion, race or political belief.

Publishing a new Extradition Bill, Ainsworth hit back at "myths" propagated by opposition and human rights campaigners.

"There is a lot of nonsense that is being talked about the European Arrest Warrant," he told journalists.

"British victims of crime, where the suspect has fled overseas, currently have to wait up to six years to extradite someone back to an EU member state."

Ainsworth argues that the benefits of a closer Europe bring new responsibilities in areas such as EU-wide crime.

"All of us are EU citizens who have a right to cross [borders] without any difficulty. That applies to the criminal as well as the law abiding," he said.

"There are very real benefits to Britain as a result of the changes brought about by the introduction of the EU warrant."

Home Office officials have noted a number of problems with extradition within the EU.

Austria is currently unprepared to extradite its nationals to the UK - a stance that would be overridden by the EAW.

Some European countries have a statute of limitations ruling out the handover of fugitives after fixed periods of time.

One case, highlighted by Ainsworth, involved a Dane accused of child abuse.

Whilst the British authorities wanted to prosecute too much time had elapsed under Danish law.

The minister - with responsibility for coordinating efforts against organised crime - is also critical of the European "habit" of refusing to extradite those accused on fiscal offences.

An EU-wide warrant will leave no place to hide for tax evaders who move on to another EU country without paying their dues.