§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that family members of Kosovar asylum seekers already in the United Kingdom will be granted family reunion; [81999]
(2) what steps he is taking to accelerate the processing of asylum applications from Kosovars who are already in the UK and have made such applications. [81997]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe remain committed to the policy of providing support for Kosovar refugees within the region. However, a special unit has been established in Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) to enable a flexible response to any requests from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) to provide temporary refuge to evacuees from the Kosovo region. Kosovars recognised as refugees in the United Kingdom are entitled to be joined by their pre-existing spouse and minor dependant children under the terms of the family reunion concession. In compelling compassionate circumstances, the concession might be extended to other family members who formed part of the refugee's family unit before he fled to seek asylum. Arrangements are being made to deal with outstanding asylum applications, and to give particular priority to those where there are compelling compassionate circumstances, thus enabling families to be reunited under the terms of the concession.