Written Question: Sri Lankans in Diego Garcia

Lord Moylan: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to transport Sri Lankan nationals from Diego Garcia to the UK and if so, how many persons, and when; what assessment they have made as to how many such persons were trafficked to Diego Garcia by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an organisation proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, or its associates; what security risks may arise as a result of any links to the LTTE; and what consideration they have given to the possibility of returning them to Sri Lanka as a safe country.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Lady Chapman of Darlington): The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is engaging in ongoing discussions with relevant departments regarding this issue. The BIOT is not a suitable long-term location for the migrants, which is why we are working to find a lasting solution. The BIOT Administration have put in place a process for considering claims for protection, which is thorough and comprehensive, but do not comment publicly on individual claims for protection. We are not aware of any involvement of LTTE in trafficking the migrants, and continue to cooperate with international partners to try and prevent criminal groups exploiting individuals and sending them on dangerous journeys across the sea.