Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department has provided to Paul Whelan and his family following his detention in Russia.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office officials sought access to Mr Whelan on 3 January after being informed by the Russian Authorities and the US Embassy in Moscow that he was a British national. We are in regular contact with the Russian Government to push for consular access, most recently on 21 January. We are working closely with the US, Canadian and Irish Embassies in Moscow, who also have a consular responsibility for Mr Whelan, to ensure a co-ordinated approach to Mr Whelan’s health and wellbeing. We are in touch with Mr Whelan’s family.