When human rights legislation hurts us....

19 terror suspects in the UK have not been deported because of human rights legislation...

Jacqui Smith told MPs that proceedings were commenced to remove the suspects on "national security grounds" but were later discontinued.

The cases were dropped because of fears they were not compatible with the UK's international obligations - including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

It is another embarrassment for the Government, which has suffered a series of human rights defeats surrounding extremists and foreign criminals.

A further 11 cases are going through the system and in a twelfth the Special Immigration Appeals Commission upheld an appeal against deportation, she said.

In figures in a Commons written answer, Ms Smith said: "Since 2005, there have been 19 cases where deportation action on national security grounds was commenced, but was later discontinued because it was concluded that it would not be possible to demonstrate that removal would be in conformity with the UK's international obligations, including out obligations under Article 3 ECHR.

"These cases are kept under review."

Article 3 of the Convention is the prohibition on torture, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.

Ms Smith continued: "There are currently 11 cases where we are seeking to deport individuals on grounds of national security because of their suspected involvement in terrorism.

"These are at various stages in the appeals process.

"In a twelfth case, the appeal against the decision to deport was allowed by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission as it was not satisfied that the case for deportation on national security grounds had been made out."

It was in response to shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve who asked how many people suspected of terrorism offences the Government had been unable to deport due to legal challenges or concerns that the individual would be tortured if sent home.

In August,it emerged two dozen terrorism suspects Gordon Brown had signalled would be deported following last summer's car bomb attacks on Glasgow and London are still in the country.