HC Deb 22 June 2004 vol 422 cc1375-6W
Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has had with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees regarding the forced return of failed asylum seekers to Somalia. [178088]

Mr. Browne

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is aware we are effecting the enforced return of failed asylum seekers to Somalia and we are in contact with the UNHCR on issues relating to this returns programme. In January 2004 UNHCR published a position paper on the return of failed asylum seekers to Somalia and this is taken into account by caseworkers considering the protection needs of individual Somali asylum seekers. As with applications from all nationalities, each asylum (and human rights) claim made by someone from Somalia is considered by the Home Office on its individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

extensions of leave to remain as a spouse or financée for a limited period prior to settlement in each year since 1979. [177028]

Mr. Browne

[holding answer 8 June 2004]: The latest available data on the number of people that have received extensions of leave to remain as a spouse or fiancée for a limited period prior to settlement can be found in the following table.

Individual asylum seekers found by both the Home Office and the Independent Appellate Authority, not to be at risk of persecution and not in need of humanitarian protection are considered for removal on a case by case basis. The Home Office will not return vulnerable groups and will only enforce the return of those Somalis it is satisfied are not in need of protection.

Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what route, and with which airlines, failed asylum seekers are returned to Somalia; and who controls the airstrip used in Somalia. [178089]

Mr. Browne

Failed asylum seekers are returned to Mogadishu via Dubai on scheduled commercial flights. They travel to Dubai on Emirates Airlines and travel on to Mogadishu on Daallo or African Express Airlines. Mogadishu International Airport is currently closed so Daallo and African Express fly into a privately run airport near Mogadishu.

Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Somali nationals are in detention awaiting removal to Somalia. [178090]

Mr. Browne

The latest available information shows that at 27 March 2004 30 Somali nationals were detained under Immigration Act Powers. Information on the number of these detainees who were awaiting removal from the UK is not available except by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.