Written question asked by Patsy Calton (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 12 May 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 19 May 2004. It was answered by Tony Blair (Labour) on Wednesday, 19 May 2004 on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister

Question: To ask the Prime Minister, what (a) instruction and (b) guidance (i) his officials and (ii) Ministers were following prior to the decision not to make the February International Committee of the Red Cross report available to him as soon as it became available to his office; what (a) written and (b) oral briefing was provided by officials in his office to inform him of the contents of the International Committee of the Red Cross report and actions taken (i) as a result of officials having read the report and (ii) prior to the full report being made available to him. - Ref to 12 May 2004, 421 c347-9.

Answer: Mrs. Calton: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what (a) instruction and (b) guidance (i) his officials and (ii) Ministers were following prior to the decision not to make the February International Committee of the Red Cross report available to him as soon as it became available to his office; [173573] (2) what (a) written and (b) oral briefing was provided by officials in his office to inform him of the contents of the International Committee of the Red Cross report and actions taken (i) as a result of officials having read the report and (ii) prior to the full report being made available to him. [173574] The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) at Prime Minister's questions on 12 May 2004, Official Report, columns 347-49.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 421 c1089W; 173573;173574
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Disclosure of information Detainees Civil servants Iraq Inhuman treatment Prime Minister Peacekeeping operations Ministers Prisoners of war International Red Cross
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk