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To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many persons captured by UK forces in Iraq and subsequently transferred to US control are being held by the United States (a) inside and (b) outside Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the UK's obligations towards such persons....

Asked by

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

7 May 2004

For answer on

1 September 2004

Answered on

1 September 2004

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons captured by UK forces in Iraq and subsequently transferred to US control are being held by the United States (a) inside and (b) outside Iraq; and if he will make a statement on the UK's obligations towards such persons. [172697] Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government has taken in fulfilment of the UK's international obligations to assess the conditions of imprisonment of the prisoners captured by British forces in Iraq and handed to the US. [183784] Mr. Ingram: [holding answer 17 May 2004]: In Iraq, 341 Prisoners of War were handed over to the United States in April 2003, all but three were subsequently released by the US. Two, classed as high value detainees, have now been arraigned before an Iraqi judge and transferred to Iraqi custody and one was reclassified as a security internee and his case is under consideration by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. We have also detained around 2,000 security internees since the end of the conflict. Between April 2003 and December 2003, these were held by the US. All but one of those individuals were either returned to United Kingdom custody or released. Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding we put in place with the US, which covered the transfer of detainees, the US are required to seek permission from the UK to remove from Iraq UK captured persons in their detention. No such requests have been made. The UK has fulfilled all its obligations towards such individuals in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. Between May and December 2003 almost all UK detainees, both Prisoners of War and security internees, were held by US Forces at Camp Bucca in Southern Iraq. During this period there was a continuous UK presence at the Camp in the shape of a UK Prisoner of War Registration Unit and a Prisoner Monitoring Team. The monitoring team regularly inspected prisoner conditions and monitored family visits and the release of UK prisoners. The majority of early detainees were released during this period. The remainder were transferred to the UK custody with the opening of the UK's Divisional Temporary Detention Facility at Shaibah in December 2003. The two UK prisoners of war, classed as high value detainees, were held by US forces at a different site. Although the UK did not maintain a permanent presence at the internment facility where they were held, reports were obtained on their conditions.

Date

1 September 2004

Reference

172697; 424 c724-5W;424 c715-6W

House

House of Commons

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what instructions and guidance have been given to members of the armed forces and other United Kingdom personnel and contractors in Iraq as to the obligations imposed by (a) the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights...

Asked by

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

8 July 2004

For answer on

22 July 2004

Answered on

22 July 2004

Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions and guidance have been given to members of the armed forces and other United Kingdom personnel and contractors in Iraq as to the obligations imposed by (a) the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and (b) the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment; and if he will make a statement. [183941] Mr. Straw: [holding answer 20 July 2004]: The UK armed forces are fully aware of their obligations under international law. They are given thorough mandatory training, which includes specific guidance on handling prisoners of war. All personnel must attend refresher training every year. Other UK personnel going to Iraq who are likely to be involved in activities that require an understanding of these international obligations are also given appropriate guidance. UK staff seconded from HM Prison Service are deployed to Iraq solely to act as monitors and mentors within civil prisons run by the Iraqi Correctional Service, where all prisoners are held on remand or following conviction of criminal charges in civil courts. All HM Prison Service staff receive in-depth training on their roles and responsibilities and act at all times in accordance with international statutes and conventions. There are no contractors employed by the UK in Iraq who have duties in detention facilities or who are involved in activities that may require an understanding of these international obligations.

Date

22 July 2004

Reference

183941; 424 c541W;424 c541-2W

House

House of Commons

Ministry of Defence

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when and in what circumstances Ministers were first informed of the practice of hooding; what the nature of the practice was; and what the reasons were for its abandonment. - (Holding answer 20 July 2004).

Asked by

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

21 July 2004

Reference

183944; 424 c266W

House

House of Commons

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