I would like to assure you that Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office staff have been working hard to provide assistance to Mr Johal and his family, and that representations are regularly made on behalf of Mr Johal to the Government of India.

I am told that the Foreign Secretary raised Mr Johal's case with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on 15 December 2020, and ministers have continued to raise Mr Johal’s case with their Indian counterparts since then. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, has also met with Mr Johal's family on a number of occasions.

Mr Johal's welfare is a priority, as is ensuring his ongoing access to his legal representatives, and the UK's consular staff in India continue to visit Mr Johal regularly. I appreciate that this is a very difficult time for Mr Johal and his family, and therefore I will continue to monitor the situation.