HC Deb 19 June 2002 vol 387 c401W
John McDonnell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the support provided to the family of Surjit Kaur Athwal in the search for her as a missing person in India. [62616]

Mr. Mike O'Brien

We continue to offer Surjit Athwal's family consular assistance. The family of Mrs. Athwal met with Baroness Scotland, then Foreign Office Minister responsible for consular matters, on 5 February 2001 to discuss the case. We have expressed our concerns about Mrs. Athwal's disappearance to the Indian authorities on numerous occasions and at high level. Sadly, even with the help of a British police team the Indian authorities' investigation has yet to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

We will continue to remind the authorities about this case at every appropriate opportunity.