Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will take steps to investigate reports of human rights abuses, torture and arrests of political prisoners in Bahrain.

We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Bahrain. The UK unreservedly condemns the use of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as a matter of fundamental principle. Our Torture and Mistreatment Reporting Guidance, published in March 2011 reiterates the longstanding policy that our staff must report any allegation about suspected torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment so that such allegations can be acted upon appropriately.