§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what practices have been agreed by the immigration Ministers of the EC states on burden of proof and interpretation of particular articles of the Dublin convention in relation to asylum.
§ Mr. Charles WardleImmigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community meeting in London on 30 November 1992 noted a report from officials on work towards the implementation of the Dublin convention and asked that work on outstanding matters should be taken forward. In current work under the Danish presidency particular attention is being given to means of proof.
§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what agreement has been reached by the immigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community on the calculation of time periods under the Dublin convention in relation to asylum.
§ Mr. Charles WardleImmigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community meeting in Lisbon on 11 June 1992 agreed conclusions on the calculation of periods of time under the Dublin convention. These stipulate that Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are to be counted.
§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the address and the name of the director of the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum; which persons will have access to information supplied by the United Kingdom to CIREA; what information is to be held by CIREA; and what assessment CIREA has prepared of countries of origin of asylum seekers.
§ Mr. Charles WardleCIREA has no director. Its meetings are serviced by the General Secretariat of the Council. The information it receives is at present passed only to participants representing other member states of the European Community. Consideration is still being given to what information it should receive and circulate: it has concentrated initially on statistics and changes in732W national legislation. CIREA has not itself prepared any assessment of countries of origin of asylum seekers but will in due course discuss joint evaluations.
§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given by EC immigration Ministers to the preparation of a manual of practice for applying the Dublin convention in relation to asylum; and what aspects such a manual is intended to cover.
§ Mr. Charles WardleConsideration is currently being given to the preparation of a manual covering a range of practical questions.
§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions have been reached by the immigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community on the transfer of asylum applicants and their applications under the Dublin convention in relation to asylum.
§ Mr. Charles WardleImmigration Ministers of the member states of the European Community meeting in London on 30 November agreed conclusions on the transfer of asylum applicants and their applications. All transfers are to be carried out in accordance with national laws and procedures. An applicant who is liable to transfer to a second member state may travel on his own initiative or accompanied by an official of the first member state.
§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the document requested by the Strasbourg European Council of Home Affairs Ministers meeting on 8 and 9 December 1989, relating to the substantive law and procedural law of asylum in the EC states.
§ Mr. Charles WardleNo. This was a working document not intended for publication, and some of its contents are now out of date.