§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2004,Official Report , column 1235W, on Iraq, on what basis military commanders concluded that hooding detainees could be harmful. [185974]
§ Mr. Ingram[holding answer 22 July 2004]: On the basis that hooding (if applied inappropriately) could be harmful.
§ Adam PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what judgements by the United Nations Committee Against Torture he has studied on the issue of hooding detainees. [185886]
§ Mr. CaplinSeveral reports by the United Nations Committee Against Torture have criticised the use of hooding in the context of interrogations and torture. I am not aware, however, of any judgements which would affect our view that temporarily obscuring a detainee's vision by blindfolding or hooding may be justified in certain circumstances such as during the arrest and transit of prisoners to prevent them viewing sensitive information.