Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has received an application from Ravil Mingazov for asylum since she has been granted release from Guantanamo Bay.
Answered by Ben Wallace
We do not routinely comment on individual immigration cases. An application for asylum can only be made by a person who is present in the United Kingdom
The transfer of Mr Mingazov from the detention facility is a matter for the US Government.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what representations he has made to his American counterpart on Guantanamo Bay in the last five years.
Answered by Dominic Raab
It has been a long standing policy of successive British Governments to seek the release and return of those UK nationals and former legal residents who were held at Guantanamo Bay and, in doing so, assist the US administration in its efforts to close the detention facility.
We remain committed to assisting the US in its aim to close Guantanamo Bay by facilitating engagement with countries that have agreed to accept former detainees, and by sharing experience and advice on managing the return process.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions representatives of the Government have had with Shaker Aamer (a) prior to and (b) following his release from Guantánamo Bay on the terms and conditions of his release.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government has been in contact with Mr Aamer’s legal representatives throughout the process of securing his release and thereafter. It has been a long-standing policy of successive British Governments that we would seek the release and return of those UK nationals and former legal residents who have been held at Guantanamo Bay.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Shaker Aamer has yet been released from detention at Guantanamo Bay to rejoin his family in England; if not, why not; and what representations they are making to the government of the United States on his behalf.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We can confirm that Shaker Aamer was released from Guantanamo Bay and returned to the UK on 30 October.
It has been a longstanding British Government policy to secure Mr Aamer’s return to the UK. We welcome his release and continue to support President Obama’s commitment to closing the detention facility at Guantanamo.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the reasons that Shaker Aamer has not been released from Guantanamo Bay.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK Government continues actively to engage the US Government to secure Shaker Aamer’s release. No decision has yet been made.
Given the need to respect the confidentiality of the process, we cannot provide a running commentary on conversations with the US government.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the newly declassified accounts of CIA torture practices at Guantanamo Bay, what assurances they will give that they will not repeat their use of rendition or collaborate in such practices, and that full transparency will be allowed regarding the treatment of United Kingdom detainees.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government stands firmly against all torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. We do not do it, we do not condone it, and we do not ask others to do it on our behalf.
The US government has been clear that it has no intention of reverting to previous practices under the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)’s detention and interrogation programme. President Obama formally ended the CIA’s use of enhanced interrogation techniques soon after taking office. In response to the recent publication of the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s declassified summary of their report on CIA detentions and interrogation, he issued a statement which referred to those former practices as “inconsistent with our values as a nation”, and reiterated that he would continue to use his authority as President to make sure that they were not used again.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the release of Mr Shaker Aamer following his clearance for release from Guantanamo Bay.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Following the meeting on 16 January between the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and President Obama, Mr Aamer’s case has been prioritised for review through an interagency process which involves six government departments. The review is currently underway.
It is necessary for the British Government to keep the details of diplomatic discussions with the US Administration confidential. Any breach of the US Administration’s expectation of confidentiality would be likely to hinder UK efforts to secure Mr Aamer’s release and return.
However, Mr Aamer’s case remains a high priority for the Government and we continue to make clear to the US that we want him released and returned to the UK as a matter of urgency. We are confident that the US government understands the seriousness of the UK’s request for Mr Aamer’s release.
Asked by: John Pugh (Liberal Democrat - Southport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of Shaker Aamer's continued detention in Guantanamo in light of the Government's on going celebration of Magna Carta.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
On June 15 we will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, which set out that no one should be refused their rights or justice, and became the foundation of the laws on individual liberties that exist today. These freedoms matter to the UK. The UK Government has long held that indefinite detention without review or fair trial is unacceptable. We welcome President Obama's commitment in January of this year to prioritise Mr Aamer's case for review, and his continuing commitment to closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Prime Minister spoke personally to President Obama during his visit to Washington in January 2015 to seek the release of British resident Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The Prime Minister discussed Mr Aamer’s case with President Obama in Washington on 16 January. As the White House spokesperson subsequently confirmed, the President made clear that he understood why Mr Aamer’s case is of great interest to the United Kingdom, and committed to prioritise it, while making that sure any action taken is consistent with US national security.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to expedite the release of Shaker Aamer from Guantanamo Bay.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Mr Aamer’s case remains a high priority for the UK Government. Senior Members of the Government, including the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and the Secretary of State for Defence my right hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Mr Fallon) continue to make clear to the US Government that we want Mr Aamer released and returned to the UK as a matter of urgency. However, any decision regarding Mr Aamer’s release ultimately remains in the hands of the United States Government.