London - Britain is working on plans to accept former inmates of the disgraced US detention centre of Guantanamo Bay to support efforts by US president-elect Barack Obama to shut it down, The Times newspaper in London reported Thursday.

A Downing Street official told the paper that a process to deal with the detainees was being put in place and that decisions would be taken on a "case-by-case basis" by Britain's Home Secretary.

However, the report said the Foreign Office was "much keener" on the idea of rehousing prisoners than other government departments, which would have to deal with issues of immigration status, housing and benefits.

"Of course the Foreign Office wants to do it, they want to get off to a good start with Obama," an unnamed official was quoted as telling the Times.

However, the issue would require approval at cabinet level.

The British government accepted that the camp should be closed, and supported calls for European Union (EU) member states to accept some of the detainees, the report said. (dpa)