Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Sri Lankan counterpart on water quality in the Northern Province.

The UK Government is aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality, and the unique challenges faced by communities in the Northern Province. Officials from the British High Commission Colombo regularly visit the Northern Province to meet a range of stakeholders to hear their experiences and issues. A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka, including the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, have conducted tests into the water quality. The Chunnakam Power plant has offered compensation to those affected by water pollution. The UK Government supports the International Water Management Institute, an international water management research organisation, to provide solutions to increasing water scarcity in Puttalam and Kilinochchi.