§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 February to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch),Official Report, column 245W, on Diego Garcia, what stocks of anti-personnel landmines are held on Diego Garcia; what assurances the Government
440Wreceived from the United States during 2003 relating to munitions kept on Diego Garcia; and if he will make a statement. [129509]
§ Mr. StrawUK officials raised these issues in the course of the annual bilateral talks on the British Indian Ocean Territory in June 2003. US officials assured us that no anti-personnel landmines are stored on Diego Garcia.
§ Mr. Menzies CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 July to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch),Official Report, column 193W, on Diego Garcia, whether prisoners have been held in (a) US vessels and (b) US merchant vessels chartered by the US Government moored in Diego Garcia waters; what jurisdiction such prisoners would fall under; and if he will make a statement. [129511]
§ Mr. StrawThe United States Government have explicitly assured us that there have never been any prisoners in detention on any US vessels moored in Diego Garcia waters. The British Government are satisfied that this is correct.