§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the factors taken into consideration by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in deciding whether to intervene at ministerial level on behalf of British citizens detained without charge or trial in foreign prisons; and after what length of detention would they first assess the desirability of any such intervention. [HL615]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanEach case has to be decided on its individual merits. The FCO takes all relevant factors into account in deciding whether to make representations at ministerial level on behalf of British nationals detained without trial in foreign prisons. These include:
- the provisions of the local legal system;
- the provisions of any relevant treaty obligations or international minimum standards;
- the health of the person detained;
- the detaining country's response to any representations made at official level.