To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2007, Official Report, column 340W, on Afghanistan: detainees, how many detainees have been transferred from UK forces to the Afghan authorities under the terms of the bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees. (178903)

Information available to 29 January shows that a total of 74 detainees have been transferred from UK forces to the Afghan authorities under the terms of the bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees. Of those, 13 remain in Afghan custody.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2007, Official Report, column 340W, on Afghanistan: detainees, whether the UK's bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees with the Afghan authorities contains provisions for the monitoring of the human rights condition of detainees after transfer; and if he will make a statement; (178904)

The UK's bilateral memorandum of understanding on the transfer of detainees to the Afghan authorities does contain provisions about respecting the human rights of detainees.

The Afghan government has shown that it is fully aware of its obligations and takes its human rights responsibilities seriously. The arrangements for access to detainees by our officials and by human rights organisations to monitor their treatment were restated in an exchange of letters between the Afghan government and the governments of Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK and the United States in 2007.

We have a constructive relationship with the Afghan government on detention issues and are working closely with them on a number of projects to improve facilities and governance.