HL Deb 11 October 1999 vol 605 c16WA
Lord Hylton

asked her Majesty's Government:

In the event that the Immigration and Asylum Bill receives Royal Assent, what is their best estimate of the number of people who would be deported from the United Kingdom, were it not for conditions of war or social breakdown in their countries of origin. [HL3862]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

It is not possible to give a meaningful forecast because the situation in individual countries may improve or deteriorate suddenly with little or no warning. An assessment of risk is made at the point of removal and no-one will be returned in circumstances where his or her life would be at risk. This practice will not be affected by the provisions of the Bill and the number of cases in which enforcement action is not pursued for these reasons will therefore not be affected either.

Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What would be the position of the asylum seekers and other immigrants, in the backlog of some 78,000 cases not yet determined and who are now receiving income support or other welfare benefits, in the event that the Immigration and Asylum Bill receives Royal Assent; and when they expect the relevant sections to come into force. [HL3861]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

On the assumption that the Bill receives Royal Assent in early November, it is expected that the statutory interim arrangements (Schedule 8) would come into effect in early December. The full asylum support arrangements would come into effect on 1 April 2000.

It would not be practical for all those who were asylum seekers on 31 March 2000 to be transferred to the new support system on 1 April 2000. There will, therefore, need to be phased transition arrangements. Asylum seekers who were in receipt of income support or other welfare benefits would, therefore, continue on these arrangements until they could be transferred into the new support system. Those applying for asylum after 1 April 2000 would, if they would otherwise be destitute, be eligible for support under the arrangements in Part VI of the Bill.