§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 4 JuneOfficial Report, column 621, and the stated intention of Her Majesty's Government to ratify the convention determining the states responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Community signed in Dublin on 15 June 1990, what steps have been taken to ensure that there are effective judicial remedies with suspensive effect in all member states of the European Community for asylum seekers who may be returned from one member state to another member state under this convention; and if he will make a statement on the results of those steps;
(2) pursuant to his answer of 4 June, Official Report, column 621, what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to satisfy itself that there is access to legal advice at all stages of the determination procedure for asylum seekers in all EC member states and that such legal advice is publicly funded wherever the asylum seeker is indigent.
§ Mr. Charles WardleNone. Those are matters which are the responsibility of individual member states according to their national laws and procedures, but some of these matters will no doubt be considered in the future work programme of Immigration Ministers of the Twelve.
§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 June,Official Report, column 621, if he will specify in respect of which matters in the work programme adopted by the EC ministers concerned with immigration in December 1991 progress has been made under the Portuguese presidency; and what specific progress has been made.
§ Mr. Charles WardleProgress was made under the Portuguese presidency on a number of matters identified in the work progamme adopted by EC Ministers concerned with immigration in December 1991, including policy on family reunification; agreed arrangements for transit through member states of persons removed or deported; work on the common interpretation of the concepts used in the Dublin convention, and on extension of the system of the convention to third countries by means of a parallel convention; and the definition, for the purposes of considering asylum applications, of "first host country". Further work in all of these areas remains to be carried forward under the United Kingdom presidency.