§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any plans to declare Sierra Leone a country in which there has been a fundamental change of circumstance within the meaning of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn)As my right honourable friend announced in another place yesterday, in view of the current situation in Sierra Leone, it has been decided to declare that that country has undergone such a fundamental change in circumstances that the return of a person to that country would not normally be ordered for the time being. The effect is that a Sierra Leonean national who entered the United Kingdom previously and applies for asylum within three months of this declaration being made becomes eligible to claim social security benefits while his or her application is considered by the department. No decisions will be made on asylum applications made by Sierra Leonean nationals until the situation stabilises.