Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the High Commission in India (a) has provided and (b) plans to provide to Billy Irving.

We continue to follow Mr Irving's case closely. I have personally raised it at the highest level with the Indian authorities, most recently with Indian Minister of State, General VK Singh, as have other Ministers. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Whitney (Mr Cameron) did so last year and the Deputy Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Hallam (Mr Clegg) discussed it with Prime Minister Modi when they met in August. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymeade and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) also raised the case with the External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj in October. Our High Commissioner continues to raise it regularly with the Indian authorities.

I have met Mr Irving’s family and therefore appreciate how difficult the last year has been for both him and them. Consular officials have consistently sought to provide assistance to him and the other British nationals involved, as well as their families in the UK. This support included fortnightly visits when they were in prison and liaison with the prison authorities, including the Director General of Prisons for Tamil Nadu, on any welfare concerns. We have also regularly pressed the men’s company, AdvanFort, to honour their commitments to pay the men, provide legal representation and fund their living costs while the legal proceedings continue.

We are currently awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court Appeal hearing and will continue to provide all appropriate consular assistance. We will also continue to raise the case with the Indian authorities at all levels.