Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 28 March 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 1 April 2008. It was answered by Kim Howells (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 April 2008 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iraq: Detainees

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure that Iraqi prisoners who are handed over to the Iraqi government by coalition forces are accorded the level of treatment expected under international conventions; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: The Government concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Iraq on 8 November 2004 entitled ““Memorandum of understanding between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland contingent of Multinational Forces-Iraq and the Ministries of Justice and Interior of Iraq regarding criminal suspects””.This MOU sets out the process by which transfers are to be conducted and also sets out the expectations of the Government in relation to the treatment of individuals transferred. We have previously sought the permission of the Government of Iraq to lay a copy of the MOU before Parliament, but that permission was withheld.

Secondary information