Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effects of the religious conversion bill in Sri Lanka on the situation of religious minorities in that country.

The Anti-Conversion Bill was presented to the Sri Lankan Parliament ahead of Sri Lanka's general election in 2010. However it did not pass, as Parliament was subsequently dissolved for the election. As a result, the Bill would now need to be re-presented to the Sri Lankan Parliament if it is to be enacted into law. If passed, the Act would have provided privileged status to Buddhism.

The promotion of human rights, including religious freedom, is at the very heart of British foreign policy. The British Government regularly speaks out internationally to condemn instances of violence and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their religion, regardless of the country or faith concerned.