---

Aicraft Landings

Answer

None of the information held by my Department provides evidence that these flights were involved in rendition. The British Government is not aware of any cases of rendition through the UK since May 1997, apart from the two cases in 1998 about which the Foreign Secretary has informed Parliament. Since before 9/11 we have worked closely with the US to achieve our shared goal of fighting terrorism. As part of that close co-operation, we have made clear to the US authorities, including in recent months:"(i) that we expect them to seek permission to render detainees via UK territory and airspace (including Overseas Territories);""(ii) that we will grant permission only if we are satisfied that the rendition would accord with UK law and our international obligations, and""(iii) how we understand our obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture."I refer to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's written ministerial statement of 20 January 2006, Official Report, columns 37–8WS and written answer of 6 February 2006, Official Report, column 784–5W.Foreign aircraft are required by the Chicago Convention to seek the prior permission of the state before operating commercial flights into another country. Aircraft operating commercial flights to and from UK airports need operating permits from my Department. Our database shows that three of these six aircraft have operated commercial flights in the UK since 1 January 2001. Details are given as follows.

Aircraft/date	Route
N129QS
30 June 2003	Paris—Luton
23 February 2005	Washington DC—Stansted—Riyadh
28 May 2005	Stansted—Washington DC
27 June 2005	Luton—Tel Aviv
15 December 2005	Heathrow—Barbados
N970SJ
4 September 20–03	Caracas—Luton
5 February 2004	Madrid—Luton
N368CE
6 May 2004	Newark—Stansted
24 July 2004	Liverpool—Newark

There is no requirement for operating permits for non-commercial flights. However, a flight plan must be filed for all flights that cross international borders. Flight plans are filed with Eurocontrol and I agreed that they should release data to Dick Marty, Chair of the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee of the Council of Europe, in order to contribute to the inquiry into rendition and ‘secret prisons' undertaken by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Eurocontrol released data from all its member states to the Parliament on a confidential basis on 23 January. In agreeing to release I asked for a copy of the UK data which I received in late January. The data shows that four of the six aircraft have also landed in the UK as non-commercial flights. Details are as follows.

Aircraft/date	Route
N2189M
23 March 2003	Stephenville—Prestwick
24 March 2003	Prestwick—Frankfurt Main
20 September 2003	Genova/Sestri—Prestwick
21 September 2003	Prestwick—Gander Intl
3 December 2003	Goose Bay—Prestwick
4 December 2003	Prestwick—Frankfurt Main
18 January 2004	Gander Intl—Prestwick
19 January 2004	Prestwick—Amman/Marka
25 May 2004	Praha/Ruzyne—Prestwick
26 May 2004	Prestwick—Gander Intl
N8183J
31 May 2003	Frankfurt Main—Prestwick
1 June 2003	Prestwick—Gander Intl
31 August 2003	Gander Intl—Prestwick
1 September 2003	Prestwick—Frankfurt Main
1 January 2004	Frankfurt Main—Prestwick
2 January 2004	Prestwick—Gander Intl
3 May 2004	Gander Intl—Prestwick
4 May 2004	Prestwick—Iraklion Nikos Kazanzakis
2 November 2004	Frankfurt Main—Prestwick
3 November 2004	Prestwick—Gander Intl
6 April 2005	Gander Intl—Prestwick
7 April 2004	Prestwick—Iraklion Nikos Kazanzakis
N368CE
6 June 2001	Boston/Logan Intl, Massachusetts—London/Stansted
7 June 2001	London/Stansted—Athens/Eleftherios Venizelos
5 August 2001	New York Newark—Luton
5 August 2001	Luton—Bangor Intl, Maine
4 October 2001	Bangor Intl, Maine—Inverness
9 October 2001	Inverness—Bangor Intl, Maine
3 September 2002	Nice/Cote d'Azur—Farnborough
3 September 2002	Farnborough—Nice/Cote d'Azur
4 September 2002	Nice/Cote d'Azur—Farnborough
4 September 2002	Farnborough—Nice/Cote d'Azur
3 September 2002	Goose Bay—Birmingham
30 September 2002	Birmingham—Goose Bay
11 June 2003	New York Newark—Inverness
14 June 2003	Inverness—Gander Intl
17 June 2003	Gander Intl—Luton
18 June 2003	Luton—Riyadh/King Khalid Intl
6 May 2004	New York Newark—London/Stansted
9 May 2004	London/Stansted—Bangor Intl, Maine
N85VM
24 June 2001	Teterboro, NJ—Belfast/Aldergrove
29 June 2001	Belfast/Aldergrove—Teterboro, NJ
4 September 2001	Connaught—Londonderry/Eglinton
5 September 2001	Londonderry/Eglinton—Bedford/Laurence G. Hanscom Massachusetts Field,
16 September 2001	Luton—Geneve Cointrin
14 October 2001	Teterboro, NJ—Leuchars
15 October 2001	Edinburgh—Leuchars
21 October 2001	Leuchars—Farmingdale
26 December 2001	Bedford/Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts—Luton
28 December 2001	Luton—Bedford/Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Massachusetts
12 January 2002	Larnaca—London/Stansted
12 January 2002	London/Stansted—Schenectady, NY
28 September 2002	Farmingdale—Leuchars
28 September 2002	Leuchars—Schenectady, NY
5 October 2002	Schenectady, NY—Leuchars
5 October 2002	Leuchars—Farmingdale
12 November 2002	Dubai Intl—Luton
12 November 2002	Luton—Washington
25 November 2002	Kabul—Edinburgh
25 November 2002	Edinburgh—Washington
3 March 2003	Dubai Intl—Glasgow
3 March 2003	Glasgow—Washington
20 September 2003	Farmingdale—Leuchars
27 September 2003	Leuchars—Farmingdale

The information we hold on these flights does not include details of passengers or purpose of flight, as this information is not routinely collected.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

57681; 443 c2508-10W;443 c2508-10W

Session

2005-06

Related items

Deposited Paper DEP 06/793
Friday, 7 April 2006
Deposited papers
House of Commons

United States
Monday, 6 February 2006
Written questions
House of Commons

Rendition Allegations (Inquiries)
Friday, 20 January 2006
Written statements
House of Commons

Subjects

Landing rights

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk