To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of deaths and diseases among Tamils held in camps organised by the Government of Sri Lanka, and the number of families whose members are separated from each other. [HL5243]

The latest United Nations (UN) figures indicate that 276,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are held in camps under the control of the Government of Sri Lanka in Vavuniya. There is no independent comprehensive health surveillance for this population and hence no reliable data on the number of deaths and diseases. Similarly, it is difficult to make an assessment of the number of families whose members are separated from each other because of the absence of reliable data.

I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 14 July (Official Report, col. WS 75) which sets out our current position on the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka.

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any aid or humanitarian agencies have been given access to the camps in Sri Lanka holding Tamils; and, if so, which agencies. [HL5244]

The latest assessment from our humanitarian adviser in Colombo is that international agencies including the United Nations (UN), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and NGOs have improved access to the internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Sri Lanka. However, we continue to press the Government of Sri Lanka for full and unrestricted access for UN, ICRC and NGOs.

I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 14 July (Official Report; col. WS 75). This sets out our current position on the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka.