Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on torture victims and their communities of imposing a time limit on claims for actions in respect of personal injuries or death which relate to overseas operations of the armed forces as proposed under the provisions of the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill.

The Government unreservedly condemns the use of torture and we remain fully committed to our obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, including the UN Convention Against Torture.

The Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill will not deprive victims of torture and ill-treatment of their right to redress in the Civil Courts. They will still be able to bring claims for personal injury or death for up to six years from either the date of the incident, or from the date of knowledge. The six-year time limit is considered to be a reasonable timeframe for claimants to gather the necessary evidence to bring a claim. The Government believes that the prompt determination of civil claims by the courts will benefit both victims and the Ministry of Defence as a defendant in such claims; the later a claim is brought, the more likely it is that witnesses' recollections will fade, making it difficult for the victim to pursue a claim and for the defendant to properly defend the claim.