Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) assist the government of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday killings, (2) establish who funded and armed the perpetrators, and (3) provide support to bring those responsible to justice.

The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on the 23 April to offer her condolences on behalf of the UK and offer our assistance. We are discussing with the Sri Lankan authorities what form of support would be most helpful and effective. The Government of Sri Lanka have confirmed that a significant number of arrests have been made and counter-terrorism activities are ongoing. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister and President have both said publicly that there will be a thorough investigation. It is important to let that process follow its course. The UK and other international partners stand ready to support the Sri Lankan authorities.

The Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism command has dispatched a team of specialists to Sri Lanka. This team includes family liaison officers to support the families of British victims and assist with the repatriation of deceased British nationals. A recent Interpol programme led by UK experts to train 30 Sri Lankan forensic specialists and police officers in disaster victim identification, may also have been of additional support in the aftermath of the attacks.