HC Deb 21 March 1997 vol 292 c939W
Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to the immigration authorities for discretionary treatment of Albanian nationals currently present in the United Kingdom; what estimate he has made of the number of Albanian nationals who are currently in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [21772]

Mr. Kirkhope

We are urgently reviewing the situation in Albania, in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Pending the outcome of this review, instructions have been given that action on all outstanding Albanian asylum claims should be frozen and that any removal directions for Albanians to Albania should be suspended.

Statistics on the number of Albanians currently present in the United Kingdom are not available.