To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the Government’s response to paragraph 121 of the report of the Intelligence and Security Committee on the handling of detainees by UK intelligence personnel in Afghanistan, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance given to UK intelligence personnel prior to their deployment in respect of (a) the treatment of detainees and (b) reporting procedures in the event of concerns. (260331)

Guidance given to UK intelligence personnel prior to their deployment in respect of (a) the treatment of detainees and (b) reporting procedures in the event of concerns is operational, and for that reason has never been published. The guidance is based on clear principles:

Torture is both abhorrent and illegal, and that the UK should never participate, never encourage and never condone the use of torture.

The UK has obligations under both international and domestic law, including under the Convention Against Torture, and that we should act consistent with those obligations.

The UK makes it clear to our partners that we stand by the above principles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1242W, on Guantanamo Bay: detainees, if he will place in the Library a copy of the written transfer agreement for the return of Binyam Mohamed concluded on 20 February 2009. (261819)

The written transfer arrangement for Mr. Mohamed’s release and return from Guantanamo Bay, agreed on 20 February 2009, was a private document between the Government and the US Government. It is our long-standing policy not to comment on the detail of operational matters.