Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the legal fees incurred by the Government were in the Belhaj rendition case from (a) the initiation of the claim until the commencement of legal proceedings and (b) the commencement of the resolution process until the final agreement resolving the case.

The total cost payable to the Government Legal Department and counsel for representation of all the Defendants in the Belhaj case since the claim was brought in 2012 is approximately £3million. This figure includes an estimated amount, to cover a number of charges that have not yet been invoiced. The Government's decision to seek to settle a case will take into account a range of factors. It is not appropriate for us to comment on the conduct of litigation strategy in any individual case. The Government reserves the right to pursue approaches to its conduct of any simultaneously, therefore we are not able to delineate legal costs in the way you have requested.