§ 16. Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are laid down before foreign troops are accepted for training with members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in this country or elsewhere.
§ Mr. GoodhartI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 2 March and to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the present Leader of the House to a similar question from the hon. Gentleman on 12 February last year.
§ Mr. NewensWill the Minister accept that training in horrific interrogation techniques is sometimes given to the troops of Governments who oppose human rights and who may be hostile to the interests of this country? Does he justify this? Will he comment on the fact that Iranian troops and Argentinian troops are at present, as I understand from his reply to my question, in training in this country?
§ Mr. GoodhartWe do not train any overseas students in interrogation techniques. Although there were about 1,000 Iranians being trained in this country, there are now about 20, and one Argentinian is being trained.