asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they are assisting the Dalit population in India.

My Lords, the UK supports India's efforts to combat caste discrimination through support for key national and state government programmes, and by working to ensure that those programmes deliver good and sustainable results for Dalits. In addition, the UK supports civil society organisations in raising Dalits' awareness of their entitlements, empowering them to claim their rights. The UK regularly raises concerns about minority rights, with specific reference to caste issues, with the appropriate Indian authorities in Delhi and London.

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. The diocese of Carlisle has a diocesan partnership with Madras and I have strong personal links with the Bishop of Gujarat. Since last April, if the bishop or any minister in that state baptises a Dalit woman or child, he is liable to several years' imprisonment and a large fine. In what ways can the Government protect the right of the Dalits to choose to be baptised as Christians in view of the seven Indian states that have passed anti-conversion laws?

My Lords, the Freedom of Religion Act in India was enacted in 1967. It prohibits conversion by means of inducement, allurement or the use of force, and it requires each conversion to have prior authority from the district magistrate. Anti-conversion laws are an internal matter for the Indian authorities. Nevertheless, officials from our high commission in Delhi continue to monitor religious freedom in India and had previously raised the issue with the appropriate Indian authorities. We condemn all instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or beliefs. The issue of religious freedom is due to be raised at the EU-India human rights dialogue in New Delhi later this year.

My Lords, the Minister knows that giving aid to India is DfID's top priority, despite India's huge economic success. India is the largest recipient of UK bilateral aid, and on 20 January this year the Prime Minister announced that he would invest another £825 million over the next three years. Does the Minister know, however, that the Dalit population has the worst poverty and health figures? How much money will DfID direct to the Dalits and how will it be invested?

My Lords, it is quite right that we devote our biggest aid programme to India. While in one sense it is a very successful country, it is also a very poor country. There are more poor people in India living on less than $1 a day than in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. I do not have figures about the precise proportion that is directed at the Dalits, but all our programmes are directed at poor people. Some 136 million, a substantial proportion, are Dalits. We are helping Dalits and scheduled tribes to be included in and to benefit from India's progress. That is a key focus in all DfID development work in India. DfID's latest country plan for India explicitly commits us to addressing the challenge of social exclusion, which Dalits and other minority groups face.

My Lords, is the Minister aware that in recent weeks in the state of Orissa more than 50 Dalit Christians have been killed and more than 50,000 have been displaced? Will Her Majesty's Government press the federal Government of India to exercise their powers under Article 355 of the constitution, under which they are able to act within a state where there is internal unrest? In particular, will he urge them to bring those responsible for this to prosecution, as the 50,000 displaced people are frightened to return to their homes at the moment because of the immunity of those responsible?

My Lords, we have pressed the Government. We welcome the Indian Prime Minister's statements condemning the attacks. The central Government have made an Article 355 order. The local government in Orissa was slow to act, but we are now pleased to see that it has taken steps. We are pleased that the central Government have continued to urge Orissa state to do things and we have expressed our concerns to the Indian authorities. Orissa will be raised in the next EU/India human rights dialogue.

My Lords, yesterday we celebrated the realisation of part of the American dream. In all continents there are dreams. What are the Government doing to ensure that none of our new immigration or visa regulations will hinder the poorest and the most vulnerable in our world from achieving their potential and contributing as best as they can to our communities?

My Lords, some poor Minister had to be the first to deny the American dream. There are 167 million Dalits in India and immigration to the UK will not play any significant part in relieving their problems. The problems faced by Dalits have to be solved by Indians and by programmes to support them. We work hard in those programmes, supporting the Indian Government. The rules for immigration to this country were well set out by my noble friend yesterday. Programmes to give positive discrimination to a significant proportion of the Dalit community, which the Indian Government have been running since 1950, mean that those who have been so favoured will be equipped as high-value-adding individuals and would qualify for possible immigration to this country.