§ 22. Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the number of Kosovan refugees settled into temporary accommodation in Birmingham; and how many have moved from their original locations to London and the south-east. [89232]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienFour thousand, three hundred and forty-six evacuees have been airlifted to the United Kingdom under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme (HEP) from Macedonia. Most have been housed in reception centres in the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland; no reception centres have been established in Birmingham.
The latest estimates indicate that 572 of the refugees arriving under the HEP have moved from reception centres to London and the South East. A further 115 refugees did not enter reception centres and are thought to have moved to the South East.
§ 34. Mr. KhabraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the settling of Kosovan refugees into temporary accommodation across the country; and how many have moved from their original locations into London and the south-east. [89245]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienFour thousand, three hundred and forty-six evacuees have been airlifted to the United Kingdom under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme (HEP) from Macedonia. Most have been housed in reception centres in the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland.
At the reception centres each refugee is given a health check and assigned a GP; children of school age are assigned to a local school; and refugees are put in touch with any known relatives and friends. Reception services for the refugees have been organised by the Local Authorities and the Refugee Council. Airport authorities, the immigration service and local medical services have also been heavily involved.
The refugees are free to move within the United Kingdom as they choose and it is inevitable that some refugees will go to areas where they have family or where other Kosovans have already settled, including London and the South East. The latest estimates indicate that 572 of the refugees arriving under the HEP have moved from reception centres to London and the South East. A further 115 refugees did not enter reception centres and are thought to have moved to the South East. 179 refugees have moved out of reception centres to other areas.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 1999,Official Report, column 310, how many of the refugees who arrived 68W under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme and are not currently resident in reception centres are currently residing at addresses notified to his Department. [90635]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThere is no requirement for refugees arriving under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme to inform the Home Office of their address, and none have done so.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovar refugees have been evacuated to the UK since 1 June; and on what dates they arrived in the UK. [90638]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe numbers of arrivals of refugees from Kosovo since 1 June are given in the table:
Date Airport of arrival Number of refugees (Immigration Service statistics) 1 June 1999 Manchester 82 2 June 1999 Manchester 142 3 June 1999 Manchester 138 4 June 1999 Manchester 160 5 June 1999 Manchester 163 7 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 171 8 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 167 9 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 165 10 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 164 11 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 149 12 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 158 14 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 157 15 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 143 18 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 135 23 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford1 236 25 June 1999 Leeds/Bradford 102 2 June 1999 Glasgow1 234 Total 2,266 1 Medical flight 2 Nine medical patients
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 1999,Official Report, column 310, how many of the evacuees received from Kosovo into the UK have applied for asylum in the UK. [90637]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI regret that the information requested is not available as it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mrs. GillanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the first of the refugees who arrived in the UK under the UNHCR Humanitarian Evacuation Programme will return to Kosovo. [90636]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienIt is our aim that refugees should return home as soon as possible and we are planning to start return flights from 19 July.