Guantanamo Bay (Hansard, 12 March 2002)

§ 13. Geraint Davies
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation of(a) Mr. Feroz Abbasi from Croydon and (b) other UK citizens being held at Guantanamo Bay. [39576]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
A team of British officials paid a second visit to Guantanamo Bay between 26 February and 1 March. All five British detainees, including Feroz Abbasi appeared to be in reasonable health. Mr. Abbasi's solicitors have made an application for judicial review in relation to his detention and access to legal representation. As this is currently before the UK courts, It would not be right for us to comment on this further.

§ Mr. Cousins
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the detaining power at Camp X Ray has indicated to him(a) the status of British nationals held there and (b) whether they will face the 860W tribunals the detaining power has proposed; and what representations he has made to the detaining power over this issue. [40617]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
The status of the British detainees and the legal procedure to which they might be subject is complex. The British Government have asked the US authorities to clarify these matters and will continue to do so. In response to our approaches, the US Government have given us the assurance that they would treat the detainees humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva convention.

§ Mr. Cousins
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether UK intelligence and security officials have had access to(a) British nationals detained at Camp X Ray and (b) evidence gathered from them by the detaining power. [40569]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in the House on 21 January 2002,Official Report, columns 623–24W and to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Anniesland (Mr. Robertson) on 4 March, 2002, Official Report, columns 69–70W. Access to evidence gathered by the detaining power is a matter for that detaining power, in this case the US.