Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what consular assistance is being provided to Jagtar Singh Johal; how regularly consular staff speak with Jagtar Singh Johal; and on which dates in the last three months have consular staff spoken to Jagtar Singh Johal.

Mr Johal's welfare continues to be a priority, as is ensuring his ongoing access to his legal representatives. Since his detention, consular staff have visited Mr Johal 29 times. In-person consular visits to prisons in India are currently suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, consular staff have secured telephone access to Mr Johal in lieu of visits and have been in regular contact with the relevant jail authorities to monitor Mr Johal's health since the introduction of lockdown measures. Consular staff last spoke to Mr Johal by telephone on 20 January, and also spoke to him on 15 December and 12 November. Additionally, on 8 January, consular staff were exceptionally allowed by the Indian authorities to visit Mr Johal while he was in police custody.