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The Prime Minister's office in a statement issued yesterday said an adjournment debate will be held in Parliament shortly on the question of re-implementing the death penalty and all MPs will be given the freedom to vote according to their conscience without the influence of party views.

The rumour that the Government is to re-implement the death penalty is completely false the statements said.

The Government has not taken any decision regarding the re-implementation of the death penalty or even contemplated it the statement added.

The statement further said that it was decided as a matter of policy at the recent Government parliamentary group meeting that MPs should be given freedom to express their views according to their conscience at Parliamentary debates concerning vital social issues.

The Government parliamentary group was of the opinion that such debates would help strengthen parliamentary democracy and minimise politicization within Parliament.

In keeping with this policy decision, Minister John Amaratunga proposed that an adjournment debate be held on the question whether the death penalty should be re-implemented or not.

Accordingly, an adjournment motion will be tabled shortly to facilitate this debate.

After this debate steps will be taken to hold similar debates on social issues once every few months and MPs will be given an opportunity to express their views according to their conscience without party influence.

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