HC Deb 17 November 1998 vol 319 cc448-9W
Mr. Fallon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Minister in his Department is responsible for the handling of the request from the United States of America for the extradition of Dr. Robert Gross; what discretion is available to him in extradition cases; and what are the factors which will influence the exercise of that discretion. [59525]

Kate Hoey

A request by the United States for the extradition of Dr. Gross is currently before the courts awaiting the hearing of a habeas corpus application. It will be my responsibility, if he is not discharged by the courts, to decide in due course whether his surrender should be ordered.

At that stage, Dr. Gross would have an opportunity to make representations against surrender. In reaching a final decision under the Extradition Act 1989, I would have regard to all of the circumstances in the case, including any grounds for concluding that it would be wrong, unjust or oppressive to order surrender.