Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether the Government was involved in acts of rendition in Iraq from 2003 to 2009.

The UK Government does not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone unlawful killing, the use of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (“CIDT”), or extraordinary rendition. In no circumstance will UK personnel be authorised to take action amounting to torture, unlawful killing, extraordinary rendition, or CIDT. UK military action is conducted in line with the UK’s Human Rights obligations and International Humanitarian Law.

The UK Government supports the rule of law, and opposes any form of unlawful deprivation of liberty that places a detained person outside the protection of the law, including so-called extraordinary rendition. Any request for the transit of foreign flights through the UK or overseas territories is considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only when the purpose of the transit complies with international law.

There were two previously declared incidents relating to the US in 2002, where British Territory had been used for this purpose. The transition of two detainees through Diego Garcia was reported to Parliament by the then Foreign Secretary in February 2008. Since those events in 2002 the UK are not aware of any other instances of other countries holding or moving any detainees through the territorial land, air or seas of the UK or our overseas territories.