To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of Sri Lankans in camps for the internally displaced; what estimate he has made of the number of such camps hosting such people; and what reports he has received on the access of UN officials to such camps. (277230)

The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the camps is growing rapidly as thousands of civilians leave the conflict zone. The United Nations (UN) has stated that approximately 280,000 people have now been security screened and registered. IDPs are currently accommodated in 41 sites situated in Vavuniya, Jaffna and Trincomalee. The UN has generally had better access to the camps than NGOs, particularly in Jaffna.