HC Deb 24 January 2001 vol 361 c595W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government have provided for Nigeria's human rights violations investigation commission. [146829]

Mr. Hain

Although we have not provided specific assistance to Nigeria's human rights violations investigation commission, we have directly funded several projects for Nigeria's permanent human rights body, the Nigerian human rights commission. We have also supported human rights projects through a number of NGOs and have helped NGOs attend Senate public hearings aimed at developing a national policy on human rights.

Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will disclose information collected by the British security services in Nigeria between 1966 and 1998 for the use of Nigeria's Human Rights Violations Investigations Commission. [147051]

Mr. Hain

We have received no requests for information from the Nigerians. It is not Government policy to comment on intelligence matters.