UK Home Secretary Theresa May has told MPs that the deportation of radical cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan has cost over £1.7m.

The UK government has been under fire for its failure to deport Abu Qatada to his home country.

Jordan has promised the UK government that he will be retried on terrorism charges.

His lawyers argue that there are no convincing guarantees the retrial will be fair.

As well as the legal costs in the case that began in 2005, Abu Qatada and his family are receiving state benefits.

The Jordanian government announced a few days ago that it had ratified a treaty with the UK to ensure the deportation Abu Qatada to Jordan.

Jordan's parliament approved the treaty.

May confirmed to the House of Commons that the Jordanian government “will do everything within their power to ensure that a retrial (for Abu Qatada) is fair.”