§ Mr. Corbynasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the declaration by Amnesty International of 24 May, a copy of which has been sent to him, concerning the return of Tamils to Sri Lanka.
§ Mr. WaddingtonMy right hon. and learned Friend has noted the statement of Amnesty International's position on this issue, but has nothing to add to his statements of 20 May, at column 27, and of 29 May.
§ Mr. Corbynasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what evidence was available to him before he made his statement to the House on 3 June about the incidence of the risk of persecution of Tamils in Sri Lanka and about the geographical distribution of that risk; and if he will make a statement;
283W(2) pursuant to his answer of 20 May, Official Report, column 273, on what factors he based his assessment that there is no reason to believe that Tamils returning to Sri Lanka face persecution.
§ Mr. WaddingtonOur assessment of the risk to Tamils of persecution in Sri Lanka was based primarily on regular reports from our high commission at Colombo.
§ Mr. Corbynasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis he chose 20 May as the reference date for his change of policy towards the entry to the United Kingdom of Sri Lanka Tamils.
§ Mr. WaddingtonMy right hon. and learned Friend had been planning for some time to make a statement about his policy towards Sri Lankan Tamils. The sharp increase in the number of Tamils arriving in the first part of May made it desirable to make a statement as soon as possible that month.