HL Deb 13 May 1999 vol 600 cc159-60WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many refugees from Kosovo have been given asylum by each of the member states of the Council of Europe since the beginning of the NATO bombing campaign. [HL2313]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Information supplied by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) detailing the movement of Kosovars is given in the tables. In the case of Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, this relates to the estimated displaced population of Kosovars since March 1999. Figures for other states indicate the numbers evacuated from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, mainly following identification by UNHCR.

These figures exclude persons from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia who apply for asylum having left the region outside the current evacuation programme. Data regarding these asylum seekers are not available for the period requested. However, it is known that some Council of Europe states currently have a moratorium on making substantive decisions in such claims.

The United Kingdom, however, is continuing to make decisions. A specialist team has recently been formed within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to expedite the processing of asylum applications from nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and to facilitate the entry of persons coming to the United Kingdom under the humanitarian evacuation programme.

Population estimates of Kosovar refugees as at 7 May 1999
Country Number
Albania 413, 100
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228,000

Humanitarian evacuations of Kosovars from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from 5 April through 6 May 1999 (Council of Europe States only)
Country Number
Austria 1,890
Belgium 1,205
Croatia1 188
Czech Republic 458
Denmark 486
Finland 481
France 2,662
Germany 9,974
Iceland 70
Italy 278
Netherlands 2,014
Norway 2,783
Poland 909
Portugal 192
Romania 41
Slovakia 90
Slovenia 186
Spain 443
Sweden 1,078
Switzerland 186
Turkey2 6,481
United Kingdom3 645

1Includes 88 evacuated without UNHCR/IOM involvement.

2Includes 1, 980 evacuated without UNHCR/IOM involvement.

3Includes 315 evacuees arriving at Prestwick on 9 May 1999.