Iraq: Camp Ashraf Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateBaroness Farrington of Ribbleton
Main Page: Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(13 years, 10 months ago)
Lords ChamberYes, I am assured—I have checked this carefully—that all basic and medical supplies are getting in. There is a hospital facility in the camp. Although some items—bicycles and beds, oddly enough—have been prevented from entering the camp, all basic material and food supplies, and the basic essentials of life, are getting into the camp and will continue to do so. The UN is very concerned to see that this situation is maintained.
My Lords, can the Minister assure us that visits on behalf of Britain are unannounced and that there is an insistence on meeting people without security guards being present? We all know that there is a danger that a prepared route is available and that prisoners are often too frightened to speak out.
I have not had any clear information about there being a difficulty on that front so far. The visits have been regular and occasionally irregular and therefore unannounced and unplanned for. I do not think that there has been any difficulty, but I will watch out for that carefully in the future to see that these are genuine visits, where evidence is presented and not covered up.