To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek the return of escaped convict George Blake to this country; and if he will make a statement on his policy relating to escaped convicts who could be repatriated to continue their sentence.

It is our policy to seek the extradition of fugitives from countries with which we have extradition arrangements. However, as there is no extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and the Russian federation, we are not in a position to set extradition proceedings in motion. Were there to be an extradition treaty, it would be for the authorities in the other state to determine whether any particular case would fall within the scope of the treaty.