British Indian Ocean Territory

Mr. Blunt
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the agreement covering the United States use of facilities at Diego Garcia allows the US to hold and interrogate non-US and non-UK nationals without notification to the UK Government.

Dr. Howells
Under the 1966 Exchange of Notes between the US and UK, non-US and non-UK nationals who are not serving members of the US military cannot be detained without notification to the Government.

Moreover, there is no US facility for foreign detainees on Diego Garcia. The only civilian detention centre is at the small UK-run police station.

The US authorities have repeatedly given us assurances that no detainees, prisoners of war or any other persons in this category are being held on Diego Garcia, or have at any time passed in transit through Diego Garcia or its territorial waters or airspace. This was most recently confirmed during the 2006 US/UK Political Military Talks held in London on 17 and 18 October.

Mr. Blunt
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have received any reports of the detention and interrogation of (a) non-US and (b) non-UK citizens in British Indian Ocean Territories by agencies of the United States since 11 September 2001.

Dr. Howells
The US authorities have repeatedly given us assurances that no detainees, prisoners of war or any other persons in this category are being held on Diego Garcia, or have at any time passed in transit through Diego Garcia or its territorial waters or airspace. This was most recently confirmed during the 2006 US/UK Political Military Talks held in London on 17 and 18 October.

Moreover, there is no US facility for foreign detainees on Diego Garcia. The only civilian detention centre is at the small UK-run police station.