HL Deb 20 October 2004 vol 665 cc81-2WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the course of training and mentoring the Sierra Leone police, British police officers are giving advice on the equal treatment of gay and lesbian citizens; and whether they will offer assistance to the police in apprehending the criminals who raped and murdered Ms Fanny Ann Eddy, founder of the Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association. [HL4385]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

The United Kingdom has taken an active role in the rebuilding and training of the Sierra Leone Police. Through the Commonwealth Community Safety and Security Project (CCSSP) the United Kingdom has been providing training, managerial support and advice to the Sierra Leone Police. As part of this training, a 10-day residential training course is held at the Centrex police training centre in Bramshill for 12 senior Sierra Leone police officers each year. Diversity training, fairness and equality are golden threads running throughout all the training elements of this course. While the apprehension of those responsible for the murder of Ms Fanny Ann Eddy is a matter for the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), British police are helping to rebuild and strengthen the Sierra Leone Police generally. Furthermore, 10 seconded British police officers are serving on secondment in the UN Mission in Sierra Leone and responsible for training the Sierra Leone Police in issues including the respect for human rights. The Government are also actively involved in the setting up of the Human Rights Commission in Sierra Leone and remain committed to the promotion of human rights in that country.