These secret hearings are taking place in the judicial review Mr Davis is bringing – along with Reprieve and Dan Jarvis MP – over the UK government’s refusal to hold an independent inquiry into British complicity in torture and rendition.

The government is seeking to have key parts of the judicial review heard in secret courts, known as Closed Material Procedures, which were introduced as part of the 2013 Justice and Security Act.

Mr Davis’ application was revealed today in The Times, ahead of a hearing planned for September 22 in the High Court. He and his co-claimants are arguing that there is no national security need to refuse him access to this evidence, because as Conservative former cabinet minister and member of the Privy Council, he had access to such information throughout his parliamentary career.

Maya Foa, director of Reprieve, said: “If British personnel helped torture people that should not be concealed from the public behind the doors of a secret court. We want the government to keep the promise it made to torture survivors ten years ago, and air evidence of past wrongdoing in a fully independent inquiry.”

Mr Davis said: “Torture is illegal, immoral, and totally counterproductive when it comes to keeping this country safe. Our legal challenge has already revealed 15 previously unknown cases where past governments got us mixed up in torture, and only by confronting these mistakes can we ensure they are not repeated”

Mr Jarvis said: “Despite a dark recent past, Britain has a proud history of standing up against torture. Out of the devastation of World War 2, we helped establish international protections against torture because we understood it undermines our moral standing, legal authority and national security. Now we need to rebuild our reputation, not further damage it by pushing evidence into secret courts, and the British public has a right to know what is done in its name.”