The basic daily ration must be sufficient in quantity, quality and variety to maintain health and prevent loss of weight or nutritional deficiencies, account being taken of the usual diet of the prisoners of war. There must be an adequate supply of drinking water. 

The detaining power must take all measures necessary to prevent epidemics and to ensure that camps are kept clean, sanitary and healthy … Each camp must have an adequate infirmary where prisoners of war, including those undergoing punishment, can have the medical attention, including diet, which they need … Prisoners of war must be examined at least once a month to monitor their general state of health, nutrition and cleanliness and also to detect infection or contagion, especially tuberculosis, malaria and venereal disease. 

Maintenance and medical care of interned protected persons, and of their dependants who lack adequate means of support or are unable to earn a living, must be provided free of charge by the detaining power. 

The basic daily ration must be sufficient in quantity, quality and variety to maintain health and prevent nutritional deficiencies, regard being paid to the customary diet of the internees. There must be sufficient drinking water. 

When taken into custody, internees must be given facilities to provide themselves with necessary clothing and to procure further supplies. If any internee has insufficient clothing and is unable to procure it, the detaining power must provide it for him free of charge. 

9.55. Each internment camp must have an adequate infirmary under the personal supervision of a qualified doctor where internees may receive the medical attention that they require, as well as an appropriate diet. Isolation wards must be set aside for those suffering from contagious diseases or mental illness. However, maternity cases and those suffering from serious disease, in need of special treatment, surgical operation or hospital care must be admitted to any hospital at which such treatment or care is available and receive care not inferior to that provided for the general population. Wherever possible, internees should have the attention of medical personnel of their own nationality. Internees may not be refused medical examination. Medical treatment and remedial aids such as dentures, artificial appliances and spectacles are to be provided free of charge.

9.56. A medical examination must be conducted at least once a month to monitor the general state of internees’ health, nutrition and cleanliness, to detect infection, especially tuberculosis, malaria and venereal disease, and to check weight. There must be an X-ray examination at least once a year. In the case of working internees, these examinations will also verify their fitness for work.

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9.63. Internees are allowed to receive individual parcels and collective relief shipments containing items such as food, clothing, medical supplies and religious, educational, cultural or recreational articles. 

Protected persons who are detained either because they are awaiting trial or as a result of a custodial sentence are entitled to have the following treatment:

Lord Vivian: My Lords, can the Minister tell the House how many Iraqi prisoners of war are being detained by British forces and how long it will take to process them and to record their relevant details in accordance with the Geneva Conventions? In addition, how many British troops are required to guard and protect them and what amount of food, water and medical supplies are allocated to them in accordance with the Geneva Conventions?

Lord Bach: My Lords, as of this morning, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland forces were guarding more than 6,500 coalition prisoners. They are being held in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland divisional compound in Iraq, and UK forces are deployed to guard the prisoners of war. The numbers depend on the circumstances in force at the time. Therefore, I hope that the noble Lord will understand if I do not give more precise details.

We are processing the prisoners as fast as possible; the Red Crescent is content with the action that we are taking in that regard. Prisoners are of course being given sufficient food, water and access to the medical facilities that they require. 

Prisoners of war are provided with Halal food in accordance with local practice. They are given one hot and two cold meals per day, and water and hot drinks are readily available. They are provided with shelter, in the form of carpeted, tented accommodation and, if needed, medical treatment. 

British officials last visited Guantánamo Bay from 21 to 28 April and saw each of the British detainees during that period. The International Committee of the Red Cross has access to the detainees on request. The British detainees have twice-weekly exercise periods outside and are also allowed to exercise in their cells and communal areas. We do not consider this to be sufficient and have raised this issue with the US authorities. 

British officials have visited the British detainees held at Guantánamo Bay five times, most recently in April. As part of the visits they checked on the welfare of the detainees, who appeared generally to be in sound physical health. The physical conditions of their detention appear to be broadly satisfactory. However, we have raised any welfare concerns we may have with the US authorities.

We understand that provision for exercise has improved from the minimum of two 15-minute periods of exercise outside every week, but varies according to circumstances. The camp authorities provide some books, including the Koran.

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The US announced on 18 July that they would not commence any military commission proceedings against UK nationals detained at Guantánamo Bay, pending discussions between American and British legal experts. We understand from the US authorities that medical facilities, including psychiatric care, at Guantánamo Bay available to the detainees are of a high standard and are the same as those for US military personnel. We firmly believe that a fair judicial process should take account of a person’s fitness to stand trial. This is one of the specific issues we have raised with the US authorities, and continue to discuss with them. 

An amended Standard Operating Instruction on the Policy for Apprehending, Handling and Processing Detainees and Internees was issued on 30 September 2003. The following section of the document contains the relevant information.

12. The treaties setting out rules of IHL are supplemented by rules of customary international law (CIL), i.e. rules which are recognized as binding by States, even though they do not appear in treaty texts. … [I]n relation to the rules described below the Government accepts that they reflect CIL. It is suggested that the rules which are of most relevance to this inquiry are: