To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the practice of extraordinary rendition complies with British obligations under(a) the Human Rights Act 1998 and (b) the UN Convention on Torture. (105034)

The terms ‘rendition’ or ‘extraordinary rendition’ are currently used to describe informal transfers of individuals in a wide range of circumstances. In this context, our policy on the use of UK airports or airspace is clear and fully compliant with our legal obligations. We have not facilitated, and will not facilitate the transfer of individuals through the UK to places where there are substantial grounds to believe they would face a real risk of torture. Nor would we assist another state in doing so were it to put us in breach of UK laws or our international obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has received on the practice of extraordinary rendition. (105035)

We are aware of public concern and receive regular representations on this matter from a wide range of sources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the findings of the European Parliament report on rendition. (105036)

The European Parliament (EP) report is still in draft and we are studying its contents. We have co-operated fully with the EP’s inquiry, including through a meeting between a delegation from the Temporary Committee on the Alleged Use of European Countries for the Transport and Illegal Detention of Prisoners with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe. As we have made clear on a number of occasions, most notably in the written ministerial statement by my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary on 20 January 2006, Official Report, columns 37-38WS, we have found no evidence of detainees being rendered through the UK or Overseas Territories since11 September 2001.