PRIME Minister Tony Blair is being urged to make the "strongest representations" to the Indian Government in a bid to free deaf charity worker Ian Stillman.

The campaign for Stillman to be released from jail is gathering support at Westminster, with more than 30 MPs signing a Commons motion praising the 51-year-old's achievements working with the deaf in India for ten years.

The MPs decided to act after his appeal against a conviction for possession of cannabis was turned down.

Stillman's parents, who live in Tadcaster Road, York, and his sister, Elspeth, had been hoping to enlist the support of MPs to show he has strong backing.

The fact that 34 MPs have signed up to the early day motion is a considerable boost to their efforts to have his ten-year sentence overturned.

Sue Doughty, the Liberal MP for Guildford who tabled the motion, voiced her concerns about the way Stillman was convicted. She said: "The majority of the trial was conducted in Hindi with no translation facilities being made.

"We are also concerned that the way in which Mr Stillman was arrested, imprisoned and tried fell short of the high standards expected of India.

"The Prime Minister should make the strongest representations possible to the Indian Government as a matter of urgency."

Stillman's family are currently preparing to lodge a further appeal and plans are being laid to start a worldwide petition calling for his release.

A Downing Street spokesman said it would look into Stillman's case.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We understand the views in the motion but, because the judicial process has not yet been exhausted, we are not

going to make any representations at this stage.

"There is still the option of an appeal to the Indian Supreme Court.If he does lodge an appeal, we will do all we can to make sure it is heard as quickly as possible."

Updated: 10:23 Friday, January 25, 2002