Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to support the celebration of Tamil culture.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Faith groups and diaspora communities, including the Tamil community, are a core part of our societal fabric in the UK. Their festivals bring vibrancy to our streets and their community spirit they foster brings joy and purpose to so many.
The Prime Minister was delighted to host an event in January to celebrate the festival of Thai Pongal with members of Britain’s Tamil community where he praised British Tamils for their invaluable contribution to life in this country.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support Tamil asylum seekers detained on Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Only three migrants remain left on BIOT temporarily.
Diego Garcia was never a suitable long-term location for migrants given the logistical challenges of providing care in such a remote location with no civilian infrastructure and a UK-US military facility, but their safety and security has been paramount throughout this deeply troubling situation inherited from the previous Government.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister on protecting the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK Government is committed to human rights in Sri Lanka. We have led international efforts over many years to promote accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka, including the rights for Tamils. This includes at the UN Human Rights Council, alongside our partners in the Core Group on Sri Lanka. The Foreign Secretary spoke to newly appointed Foreign Minister, Herath, in November 2024 raising human rights concerns. I visited Sri Lanka from 26-28 January and met with a range of stakeholders including the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, civil society organisations, as well as political leaders in the north of Sri Lanka raising human rights, including rights for Tamils.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan Government on the ongoing arrests of Tamil fishermen.
Answered by Catherine West
A long-term solution is needed to resolve the complex issue regarding Indian fisherman from Tamil Nadu in Sri Lankan waters. We welcome recent discussions on fisherman rights between the Sri Lankan President, Dissanayake, and Indian Prime Minister, Modi, during a visit to India in December 2024. The UK Government continues to closely monitor developments.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of granting Sri Lankan Tamils on Diego Garcia the right to come to the UK.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
No such right exists, and no such right will be considered. On the specific cases of the migrants who have been located on Diego Garcia since 2022, I refer the Hon. Member to PQ 12545.
Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to transport Sri Lankan nationals from Diego Garcia to the UK and if so, how many persons, and when; what assessment they have made as to how many such persons were trafficked to Diego Garcia by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, or its associates; what security risks may arise as a result of any links to the LTTE; and what consideration they have given to the possibility of returning them to Sri Lanka as a safe country.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is engaging in ongoing discussions with relevant departments regarding this issue. The BIOT is not a suitable long-term location for the migrants, which is why we are working to find a lasting solution. The BIOT Administration have put in place a process for considering claims for protection, which is thorough and comprehensive, but do not comment publicly on individual claims for protection. We are not aware of any involvement of LTTE in trafficking the migrants, and continue to cooperate with international partners to try and prevent criminal groups exploiting individuals and sending them on dangerous journeys across the sea.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on a decision regarding the most vulnerable Tamil refugees and migrants in the British Indian Territory of Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working closely with relevant departments and BIOT Administration to respond to the health and welfare needs of all the migrants present in Diego Garcia.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help ensure that Tamils in northern Sri Lanka have access to clean drinking water.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
We are aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality, particularly by communities in the Northern Province. The British High Commission Colombo regularly meets a range of stakeholders in the Northern Province to hear their experiences and issues. A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka, including the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, have conducted tests into the water quality, after concerns were raised by local communities. The UK Government supports the International Water Management Institute, an international water management research organisation, to provide solutions to increasing water scarcity in Puttalam and Kilinochchi.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the purported persecution of the Tamil population in northern Sri Lanka.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Sri Lanka is a UK human rights priority country. The UK has led, with the Core Group on Sri Lanka, international efforts to promote human rights for all communities, including through UNHRC resolution 51/1. We recommended addressing issues around the expropriation of land in the North and East during Sri Lanka's Universal Periodic Review. The UK encourages establishment of a meaningful Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Whilst visiting Sri Lanka from 10-13 October I raised issues over progress on human rights and accountability mechanisms with the government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). We welcome the GoSL commitment to address longstanding grievances of minority communities through the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Asked by: Lord Mann (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the UN Human Rights Council about the situation of Tamil communities in Sri Lanka.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK, alongside our partners in the Core Group, have led international efforts to promote human rights for all communities in Sri Lanka, including through resolution 51/1 at the UN Human Rights Council. The resolution renewed the mandate of the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights to report on Sri Lanka and to protect and preserve evidence of past human rights abuses to use in future accountability processes. We have made our stance clear in statements to the Council, most recently on 7 March. The UK also made recommendations including on the need to address issues around the expropriation of land in the North and East during Sri Lanka's Universal Periodic Review in February.