Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2018 to Question 176249 on Joe Robinson, for what reason the British Government has not made a public demand for the (a) release or (b) extradition of Joe Robinson; and whether it is the policy of the Government to ensure the timely return to the UK of Joe Robinson.

We have raised Mr Robinson’s case at the highest levels and will continue to do all we can to support Mr Robinson and his family. We approach each consular case in a way that we judge is most likely to best support the needs of the individual. However, we cannot interfere in another country’s independent judicial process, just as we would not expect them to interfere in ours. The UK can only seek extradition of any individual when they are wanted for a crime in the UK, and a prosecuting authority decides to make a request.