§ 22. Mr. LloydTo ask the Solicitor General if she will make a statement on the pursuit of costs by the Treasury Solicitors from British citizens who are seeking to compel the Government to act in relation to British citizens held in Guantanamo Bay by the United States. [108265]
§ The Solicitor-GeneralThe Treasury Solicitor is not pursuing any such costs. In the case of Abbasi the Court of Appeal made no order for costs.
Relatives of a number of other detainees held by the United States Government sought unsuccessfully to intervene in the Abbasi Court of Appeal hearing. Cost orders were made against them, but following representations from their solicitors the Treasury Solicitor informed their solicitors by letter on 17 March 2003 that the claim for costs would not be pursued.