§ Mr. ForthTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations at ministerial level have been made to the Government of India regarding Peter Bleach; what the response of the Indian Government were; and if he will make a statement. [45411]
§ Mr. BradshawMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary wrote to the Indian Home Minister, L. K. Advani, about Mr. Bleach's case on 13 December 2001. The Prime Minister also raised it with Mr. Advani during his visit to India in January 2002.
I discussed Mr. Bleach's case with the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, on 22 February 2002. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reiterated our concern about Mr. Bleach's continued detention and poor health with Mr. Advani on 27 February 2002.
Since December 2000 we have requested that Peter Bleach be released on grounds of fair and equal treatment with the five Russians convicted with him for the same offences, and who were released in July 2000. The Government of India's response has been that the nature of Mr. Bleach's offences was different: we do not accept this. We have asked the Government of India to reconsider Mr. Bleach's case and to take into account the deterioration in his health since he has been diagnosed with tuberculosis and bronco-pneumonia.