The Home Office does not hold the information requested.

To provide the information would require a manual check of individual records which would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.

Data relating to the numbers of asylum seekers removed to Sri Lanka can be accessed in the link below:
Immigration: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2019/how-many-people-are-detained-or-returned#data-tables

The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection. Each claim is carefully considered on its individual merits. We expect those with no legal right to remain in the country to leave.

Guidance used by UK Visas and Immigration to make decisions on asylum and human rights applications can be found on the gov.uk website https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-policy-and-information-notes

A Sri Lankan process initiated by the Government of Sri Lanka and supported by all communities offers the best route to achieve accountability for violations and crimes committed, and reconciliation, in Sri Lanka.

The United Kingdom co-sponsored the 2014 UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 30/1, which established an investigation into allegations of serious violations and abuses of human rights during Sri Lanka's recent conflict. We welcomed Sri Lanka's co-sponsorship of a new UNHRC Resolution in March 2019, led by the UK, which rolled over Sri Lanka's commitments under Resolution 30/1 on post-civil war reconciliation and accountability. UNHRC Resolution 30/1 welcomed the intention of the Government of Sri Lanka to establish a judicial mechanism to investigate allegations of violations and abuses. It stressed the importance of independent and impartial institutions to ensure the credibility of the mechanism, and highlighted the importance of the participation of international judges, defence lawyers, and authorised prosecutors and investigators. The UK will continue to support and encourage the Government of Sri Lanka to fully implement the UNHRC resolution

Furthermore, the UK's Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) programme in Sri Lanka provides funding to the UN Peacebuilding Priority Plan, which supports efforts to establish credible and effective transitional justice mechanisms as part of Sri Lanka's reconciliation process.

If I may, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Theresa Villiers). We are doing a lot, as a penholder, and playing a leading role in trying to bring parties together. We are pleased to see that Sri Lanka is co-sponsoring a new resolution at the Human Rights Council in March in Geneva, but I appreciate that we need to see some genuine progress, and I very much hope that the international community can come together and bring that about.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka. What is the Minister doing to promote the civil rights of Tamils in Sri Lanka?

​The FCO is unable to collate these estimates of file destruction within the timescale provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

The FCO, as with all government departments, reviews all its files in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act before making a decision on permanent preservation. This applies to all files from the 1970s and 1980s relating to Sri Lanka which the FCO has already reviewed under the Act.

Selection of such records for permanent preservation took place under the guidance and supervision of The National Archives.

The Public Records Act does not require departments to preserve files if they are of no long-term historical value. For instance, the FCO may destroy a file if it only contains administrative or ephemeral content or because it only contains information which is already in the public domain.

The UK continues to encourage and support Sri Lanka to deliver the commitments it made to the UN Human Rights Council through Resolutions 30/1 and 34/1. We firmly believe that this is the best framework for establishing truth and to achieve justice and lasting reconciliation.

The UK welcomed the Annual Report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 21 March 2018, which assessed progress made by the Sri Lankan government in the implementation of UN Human Rights Council Resolutions 30/1 and 34/1. This found that the Government of Sri Lanka had taken some steps to address human rights concerns and to introduce more democratic and accountable government. These steps included the return of some military-held civilian land, the establishment of an Office of Missing Persons and the ratification of the Convention on Enforced Disappearances.

However, as I made clear to Foreign Minister Marapana on my visit to Colombo in October 2018, more needs to be done. During my visit, I encouraged greater progress, in particular on national accountability and truth-seeking mechanisms, and the development of new counter-terrorism legislation in line with international human rights standards. I was pleased to see that, following my visit, the Sri Lankan Parliament had passed a bill to establish an Office of Reparations. I look forward to seeing this implemented in the near future.

I continued to press for progress with Sri Lankan Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in January, as the Minister for the Commonwealth and the UN, Lord Ahmad, did with Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera,

​The FCO, as with all government departments, reviews all its files in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act before making a decision on permanent preservation. This applies to files from the 1970s and 1980s relating to Sri Lanka which the FCO reviewed under the Act.

Selection of such records for permanent preservation took place under the guidance and supervision of The National Archives.

The Public Records Act does not require departments to preserve files if they are of no long-term historical value. For instance, the FCO may destroy a file if it only contains administrative or ephemeral content or because it contains information which is already in the public domain.

I issued statements on 26 and 29 October, and on 9 November, setting out our concerns at recent political developments in Sri Lanka and calling for due political process to be upheld. It is vital that all sides refrain from violence and make efforts to resolve the situation peacefully and as soon as possible. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka continues to meet regularly with all political parties, and has expressed our concern at the behaviour of some MPs in disrupting Parliamentary proceedings. We have stressed the importance of MPs allowing Parliament to do its job.

I last visited Sri Lanka in early October, before the current crisis, where I met Foreign Minister Marapana and other Ministers. We discussed the range of our bilateral interests and I urged more progress on human rights and reconciliation. I also met the leader of the Tamil National Alliance, as well as human rights and civil society activists. I have continued to urge the Sri Lankan government to fully implement its commitments to the UN Human Rights Council. I plan to visit Sri Lanka in 2019.

I have received regular representations from the Tamil community on a range of their interests and concerns. I last met with the APPG for Tamil's including some representatives from the Tamil community on 3 December to discuss the current political situation. Foreign Office staff also regularly meet with Tamil representatives, both in Sri Lanka and the UK.

​The UK remains firmly committed to the full implementation of UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/1, under which Sri Lanka committed to implement a range of measures to provide for human rights, truth-seeking and reconciliation following the end of its civil war. I encouraged Foreign Minister Marapana, officials and others to continue to make progress on these commitments when I visited Colombo in the first week of October 2018. Our High Commission in Sri Lanka regularly travel to the North and East and meet with local groups, and where we have specific human rights concerns we raise these with the Sri Lankan government.

​I have not had recent discussions with President Sirisena. However, in my visit to Colombo in early October I encouraged Foreign Minister Marapana, officials and others to continue to make progress on Sri Lanka's human rights and reconciliation commitments when I visited Colombo in October 2018.

Our High Commissioner met with President Sirisena on 1 November to raise our concerns at recent political developments.

​We have not recently discussed the status of Tamil people in Sri Lanka with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth. However, we welcomed her visit to Colombo in August, during which she offered Commonwealth support on good governance and accountability.

The UK is committed to supporting human rights and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans. While we welcome some recent progress against its UN Human Rights Council commitments, more remains to be done. I visited Colombo in October where I urged the government to make more progress, including towards the establishment of transitional justice and accountability mechanisms; devolution through constitutional reform; and the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act. I also met Tamil National Alliance leader and human rights and civil society activists. In August we announced £1 million of extra UK funding to support resettlement of war-displaced families in the predominantly Tamil north and east. Total UK funding is now £7.9 million for 2016-2019.

​I am deeply concerned by the developing political situation in Sri Lanka. The FCO has called on all parties to ensure that the constitution is respected and due political and legal process upheld. I have urged the President on 29 October, in consultation with the Speaker, to reconvene parliament immediately to give the democratically elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people their voice.

The UK is committed to the full implementation of UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/1, under which Sri Lanka committed to implement a range of measures to provide for human rights, truth-seeking and reconciliation following the end of its civil war. I encouraged Foreign Minister Marapana, officials and others to continue to make progress on these commitments when I visited Colombo in October 2018. Our High Commission in Sri Lanka regularly travel to the North and East and meet with local groups, and where we have specific human rights concerns we raise these with the Sri Lankan government.

I thank my right hon. Friend for her question. I was in Sri Lanka at the beginning of the month, and like the Foreign Secretary, I am deeply concerned by the fast-developing political situation in Sri Lanka. As I say, not only do we want to stand up for the constitution, but my right hon. Friend is right to say that we need to continue to urge Sri Lanka to implement fully the commitments it has willingly made to the UN Human Rights Council.

In the light of recent worrying developments in Sri Lanka, will the Foreign Secretary urge the Government there to make good on their promises to deliver justice for the Tamil people and accountability for war crimes committed against them?

I hope the hon. Lady will recognise that we do a lot already to support them. As I mentioned, I visited Colombo at the beginning of October and made these points to Foreign Minister Marapana. I also met the Tamil National Alliance leader and a number of human rights and other civil society activists. We will continue to do that work. I entirely agree with the hon. Lady, and I am as alarmed as she is. It is absolutely essential that we get Sri Lanka back to the table to ensure that it adheres to its UN Human Rights Council obligations.

Does the Foreign Secretary understand the complete terror and horror of my Tamil constituents at the idea that Mahinda Rajapaksa may be coming back? There can be no justice in Sri Lanka; these people will not find out where their disappeared relatives went nine years ago. What is the Foreign Secretary really going to do to support them?