§ Mr. RooneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government classified Sierra Leone as a country in upheaval. [18286]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 28 November 1997]: In view of the situation in Sierra Leone, following the overthrow of the democratically elected government by rebel soldiers, we decided to declare that the country had undergone such a fundamental change in circumstances that we would not normally order the return of a person to that country for the time being. The declaration was made on 1 July 1997.
The situation in Sierra Leone remains uncertain and it is being monitored closely in co-operation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Although the positive developments following the Conakry Accord are encouraging and we are looking forward to further improvements, no-one will be returned to Sierra Leone unless we are satisfied that it is safe to do so.
The effect of making such a declaration is that a Sierra Leone national who was stranded in the United Kingdom and applied for asylum within three months of the declaration being made also became eligible to make a claim for social security benefits while his application was being considered by the Home Office, providing that claim for benefits was lodged within the three-month timescale.
All applicants who claim asylum at the port or airport of arrival are eligible to claim social security benefits in a similar way.