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Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether it is their policy to seek to ensure that new contracts for the reconstruction and development of the Iraqi oil sector are not made, and that any other fundamental restructuring of the sector (such as privatisation) is not undertaken, without United Nations authority.[HL3063]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: UN Security Council Resolution 1483 of 22 May 2003 provides for oversight by an International Advisory and Monitoring Board of oil sales and spending of oil revenues. The membership of the board will include a representative of the UN Secretary-General, as well as of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The resolution also requires all export sales to be made consistent with prevailing international market best practices.
The resolution gives the Special Representative of the Secretary-General a role in facilitating the reconstruction of key infrastructure and promoting economic reconstruction, in cooperation with other relevant bodies.
Guantanamo Bay: British Detainees
Lord Goodhart asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many British citizens have been released from detention at Guantanamo Bay.[HL3067]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: None. We have been pressing the US to move forward with the process of determining the future of the British detainees. We shall continue to do so.
Lord Goodhart asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they are satisfied that the continued detention of British citizens at Guantanamo Bay is lawful, and if so, on what basis.[HL3068]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The question of the legal status of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay under international law is complex and has to be considered in the light of the facts relating to each individual detainee.
We believe that, whatever their status, the detainees are entitled to humane treatment, and, if prosecuted, a fair trial. The United States has told us it will treat the detainees humanely and consistently with the principles of the Geneva conventions. We have been pressing the US to move forward with the process of determining the future of the British detainees.
Lord Goodhart asked Her Majesty's Government:
- If they are not satisfied that the continued detention of any of the British citizens detained at Guantanamo Bay is lawful, what action they are taking to obtain their release.[HL3069]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him today (HL3068).
We remain in regular contact with the United States, at both ministerial and official level, about the situation of the detainees. We have been pressing the US to move forward with the process of determining the future of the British detainees. We shall continue to do so.
British Citizens in Prison in EU
Lord Lamont of Lerwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish a table showing the total number of British citizens in prison in each country in the European Union; and how many, if any, in each country have been held in custody for longer than three months (a) without being given bail and (b) without being charged.[HL3082]
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: As of 31 March 2003, we were aware of 815 Briitsh citizens detained in the European Union, 275 of whom had been detained for longer than 3 months without being given bail. We are unaware of any British prisoners being held in the EU for longer than three months without being charged.
The statistics represent only those prisoners who have asked the local authorities to inform the British consulate of their arrest and sentence.
The table below gives a breakdown of the numbers detained in each EU country.
| Country | Number of prisoners as of 31/3/03 | Held over 3 months without being given bail (a) | Held over 3 months without being charged (b) |
| Austria | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Belgium | 22 | 12 | 0 |
| Denmark | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| Finland | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| France | 189 | 56 | 0 |
| Germany | 117 | 13 | 0 |
| Greece | 13 | 7 | 0 |
| Ireland | 97 | 6 | 0 |
| Italy | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 44 | 0 | 0 |
| Portugal | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Spain | 250 | 173 | 0 |
| Sweden | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 815 | 275 | 0 |
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