British troops in Iraq used torture methods taught in Bedfordshire, parliament heard on Tuesday.

Leading human rights solicitor Phil Shiner told the Joint Committee on Human Rights that the techniques were "100 per cent Chicksands" – a reference to the Ministry of Defence's Intelligence Corps headquarters in Mid Bedfordshire.

MPs and members of the House of Lords heard claims soldiers were trained at the base to hood Iraqi prisoners and force them into stressful positions.

The human rights solicitor referred the parliamentary committee to evidence given by the Intelligence Corps' Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Anthony Baker during the court martial at Camp Bulford, held between September 2006 and March 2007, into the death of Baha Mousa, and the abuse of ten other Iraqi civilians.

Mr Shiner said: "The information I have is evidence in the court martial where you get the finger pointed at Chicksands. A Colonel Baker says that he was told that what was going on, hooding and stressing was, quote: '100 per cent Chicksands'.

"It seems that Chicksands had been training interrogators, to hood and stress at least for some considerable time and it was written down in possibly three or even four different documents."

Mr Shiner told committee members that when detainees were hooded, sometimes two or even three sandbags or old cement bags were used, even in temperatures of up to 60 degrees celsius.

He added: "It seems to me the use of hooding and stressing did not just magically come on board when the invasion started and became an occupation shortly afterwards.

"The fact that people are routinely getting out old cement bags and using them I think reflects that it was now policy, it was standard operations procedure and nobody raised an eyebrow."

In 1972 the techniques – hooding, stress positions, constant noise, sleep deprivation and being starved of food and water – were banned by the Government and the armed forces were ordered never to use them again.

Mr Shiner said the use of these techniques by British soldiers in Iraq was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, the Geneva Convention and the United Nations Convention Against Torture.

Patrick Hall, Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston, said: "This is an extremely serious matter which the parliamentary Joint Committee on
Human Rights is investigating.

"It does seem that the five techniques used on detainees which were banned in 1972 continued to be used by elements in the armed forces."
Last month, the Ministry of Defence admitted British soldiers breached the human rights of Baha Mousa, who died in custody in Basra in September 2003.

Nadine Dorries, Conservative MP for Mid Beds said: "Until the Joint Committee on Human Rights releases its final report following its inquiry into allegations of torture and inhumane treatment in Iraq, it would be completely inappropriate for me to comment on this matter."

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "During both tactical questioning and interrogator training courses, students are taught their legal obligations under domestic and international law, including the Geneva Conventions, additional protocols and the European Convention on Human Rights.

"The procedures of the armed forces body that undertakes interrogation are conducted entirely within UK domestic and international law.

"UK training and guidance applies to all UK tactical questioning and interrogation operations irrespective of the theatre."