§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 2 April 2003,Official Report, column 741W, what the response of the US Government has been to his request for formal consular access to Guantanamo Bay. [108057]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her on 24 March 2003,Official Report, column 70W. As Guantanamo Bay is outside a recognised consular district, the US does not consider that we are entitled to formal consular access there. However, British officials have visited on four occasions to check on the welfare of the British nationals and ask questions relating to national security. We were the first country to visit its nationals.