The British government was forced to apologise last year for its role in the rendition of Abdel Hakim Belhaj, centre, a Libyan opponent of Colonel Gaddafi, and his pregnant wife in 2004

The government has been accused of developing a secret policy on torture that allows ministers to sign off intelligence-sharing that could lead to the abuse of detainees.

Parliamentarians are set to demand answers from the defence secretary about the revelation in the Commons this afternoon.

A freedom of information request has revealed that an internal Ministry of Defence policy document, dated November 2018, creates a provision for ministers to approve passing information to allies even if there is a risk of torture, if they judge that the potential benefits justify it.

Last night a leading QC and former chairwoman of the Bar human rights committee said that domestic and international legislation on the prohibition of torture was clear and that the MoD policy supported breaking