Gary McKinnon case raised at Prime Minister's Questions

Prime Ministers Questions, Wednesday 19th November 2008

Q3. [236809] Mr. David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con): The US President-elect wants change. Will the Prime Minister ensure that extradition arrangements are changed so that UK citizens such as my constituent, Gary McKinnon, are not routinely extradited, despite having Asperger's syndrome? Will the Prime Minister listen to cross-party calls for an assurance that Gary McKinnon will be repatriated following a conviction in the US?

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The Prime Minister: The hon. Gentleman refers to the case of his constituent, which he has taken up with Lord West. The UK has important obligations in that area, and we take those obligations seriously. I am sure that he will be aware that the case is before the courts again on 5 December, and I cannot comment on any specifics. As I understand it, however, the UK and the US are signatories to the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons, which enables a person found guilty in the United States of America to serve their sentence in the UK.

Video clip of Prime Minister's Questions - the David Burrowes segment starts at around 20 minutes into the 30 minute clip:

Note how Home Secretary Jacqui Smith Harriet Harman, the Minister of State Government Equalities Office and Leader of the House of Commons, and Education Minister Ed Balls nodded their heads in agreement, sitting on either side of Gordon Brown.