To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will send a representative of his Department to attend the parole hearing for Mr. Craig Alden in Brazil on 26 June 2008. (211284)

[holding answer 17 June 2008]: Consular staff do not normally attend court hearings. Consular staff are not legally trained and cannot, therefore, comment on proceedings. In certain exceptional cases our officials may consider attending a court hearing, purely as observers. Should a British detainee or a member of their legal team ask for a representative from one of our embassies or consulates to attend a parole hearing, we will consider the request.