Ian Stillman (Hansard, 18 March 2002)

HC Deb 18 March 2002 vol 382 cc51-2W 51W

§ Mr. Wyatt
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he raised the case of Ian Stillman with(a) President Narayanan and (b) Prime Minister Vajpayee in India during his visit on 27 February. [43908]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not raise Ian Stillman's case with Prime Minister Vajpayee or President Narayanan. However, he raised it on 27 February 2002 with the Indian Home Minister, L. K. Advani, and asked that Mr. Stillman's forthcoming appeal to the Supreme Court be heard as quickly as possible.
I also raised Mr. Stillman's case on 18 February 2002 with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah.
Our High Commissioner in New Delhi raised Mr. Stillman's case with the Indian Home Secretary, Kamal Pande, on 20 December 2001. He also discussed it with Mr. Advani on 2 January 2002.
52W
Our High Commission is dong all it can to ensure that the Indian authorities are meeting Mr. Stillman's welfare requirements adequately and that his forthcoming appeal to the Supreme Court is heard as quickly as possible.

§ Mr. Wyatt
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Exeter raised the case of Ian Stillman with(a) President Narayanan and (b) Prime Minister Vajpayee on his visit on 18, 21 and 22 February. [43911]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
I did not meet Prime Minister Vajpayee or President Narayanan during my visit. However, I raised Mr. Stillman's case on 18 February 2002 with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, and asked that his forthcoming appeal to the Supreme Court be heard as quickly as possible.
My right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary also raised Mr. Stillman's case on 27 February 2002 with the Indian Home Minister, L. K. Advani. Our High Commissioner in New Delhi raised it with the Indian Home Secretary, Kamal Pande, on 20 December 2001. He also discussed it with the Indian Home Minister, L.K. Advani, on 2 January 2002.
Our High Commission is doing all it can to ensure that the Indian authorities are meeting Mr. Stillman's welfare requirements adequately and that his forthcoming appeal to the Supreme Court is heard as quickly as possible.

§ Mr. Wyatt
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times the UK high commissioner in India has raised the case of Ian Stillman with(a) President Narayanan and (b) Prime Minister Vajpayee in India. [43909]

§ Mr. Bradshaw
Our high commissioner in New Delhi has not raised Ian Stillman's case with President Narayanan or Prime Minister Vajpayee. However, he raised it with the Indian Home Secretary, Kamal Pande, on 20 December 2001. He also discussed it with the Indian Home Minister, L. K. Advani, on 2 January 2002.
I raised Mr. Stillman's case with the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, on 18 February 2002. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also raised it with Mr. Advani on 27 February 2002.
Our high commission in New Delhi is doing all it can to ensure that the Indian authorities are meeting Mr. Stillman's welfare requirements adequately and that his forthcoming appeal to the Supreme Court is heard as quickly as possible.