Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Williams of Crosby (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Wednesday, 4 June 2008.

US Prison Ships

Question: My Lords, does the Minister agree that we have heard a series of rumours about extraordinary rendition ever since the war in Iraq began; that those rumours have, in turn, led to a series of Parliamentary Questions in both Chambers; that those Questions have mostly been met by Answers that were not complete; and that, to this day, none of us knows exactly what the situation is? May I therefore ask, first, whether we have any evidence that the United States ships used as prisons were either maintained or refuelled in Diego Garcia or its immediate territorial waters? Secondly, do we know whether there are manifests for such ships and, if there are, whether we have examined carefully such manifests for possible links to British citizens?

Answer: My Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness that there have been stories around this issue for many years and many suggestions have been made. It was for that reason, among others, following what happened in February, that the Foreign Secretary wrote to Secretary Rice to clarify a number of specific issues. These included the question raised by the noble Baroness whether detainees were ever held on ships outside the territorial water of Diego Garcia but perhaps supplied from the island. There is, as yet, no response to that letter. There will be a response. I will tell the noble Baroness if and when a response comes.

Secondary information