HC Deb 19 November 1992 vol 214 cc352-3W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to alter the policy whereby all who have a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion may enjoy the full protection afforded by the Geneva convention on refugees.

Mr. Charles Wardle

We are fully committed to meeting our obligations under the convention.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances his Department will issue more visas to victims of the war in Croatia who are currently displaced or refugees.

Mr. Charles Wardle

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 3 November 1992, at columns 128–29. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary also made it clear in his statement of 5 November that the Government will be discussing with the international organisations the numbers and timing of the evacuation of certain categories of specially vulnerable cases to the United Kingdom.

Mr. Winnick

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made a decision on the 180 Bosnian refugees whose application for entry into the United Kingdom has been considered by his Department.

Mr. Charles Wardle

My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary decided on 16 November that six members of this group, who have existing close family ties with the United Kingdom, should be issued with visas. One hundred and eighty cases who have insubstantial or no links with this country are to be refused and eight other cases, including two medical cases, are under consideration.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consultations Her Majesty's Government have had with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and his European Community counterparts about the future safety and well-being of refugees from Bosnia.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The Government are in constant touch with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about arrangements for assisting those displaced from their homes in Bosnia. We are finalising with the UNHCR arrangements and timing for the admission and reception of 150 ex-detainees from camps in Bosnia-Herzegovina plus their dependants. This is an initial group and the UNHCR is aware of the United Kingdom's readiness to consider other similar humanitarian groups, including detainees, whom the international organisations judge should be evacuated. The United Kingdom is in regular contact with our European Community partners about these matters.