§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the reasons for the advice given by his Department to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East as a member of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group in relation to his proposed visit to Sri Lanka; what was the basis for itsdecision to recommend the postponement of that visit; and what representations his Department has made to ensure that a Parliamentary Human Rights Group visit to Sri Lanka can take place in the near future.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe Parliamentary Human Rights Group requested my Department to assist with arrangements for a visit to Sri Lanka by the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East and my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway). Our high commissioner was instructed to pass on this request to the Sri
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Numbers and percentages of three and four year old pupils in education authority nursery schools in Tayside and Scotland for 1980 and 1982 Three year olds Four year olds Three and four year olds Authority 1980 1982 1980 1982 1980 1982 No. Per cent. No. Per cent. No. Per cent. No. Per cent. No. Per cent. No. Per cent. Tayside 768 17 849 18 1,239 27 1,248 29 2,007 22 2,097 23 Scotland 11,471 19 11,929 19 20,760 32 22,482 38 32,231 26 34,411 28 Lankan Government in the normal way. We were subsequently informed by the Sri Lankan Government that it would not be possible for them to make the arrangement requested. In the light of this, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office pointed out the difficulties involved in the proposed visit, but offered to arrange an appropriate briefing by our high commissioner if the hon. Members decided to go ahead with it. I understand that the Sri Lankan Government would be willing consider making arrangements for members of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group should they decide to reinstate their visit.