HC Deb 18 March 2002 vol 382 cc1-2W
Mr. Wyatt

To ask the Prime Minister if he raised the case of Ian Stillman with(a) President Narayanan and (b) Prime Minister Vajpayee on his trip to India in January. [43910]

The Prime Minister

The case was not raised during my discussions with President Narayanan and Prime Minister Vajpayee, which focused on other issues.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised the case on 27 February 2002 with the Indian Home Minister, L. K. Advani, and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised it 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.

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.