§ 32. Mr. LilleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to help return to their homes those refugees from Kosovo granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom during the conflict. [108266]
§ Mrs. RocheAll the evacuees under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme (HEP) were given 12 months' exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom. We have made it clear that there will not be a general extension of leave for those granted exceptional leave under the Kosovan concession.
Kosovans are expected to make arrangements to return to Kosovo once their current leave to remain expires.
The voluntary return programme for Kosovans from the United Kingdom began on 26 July 1999 and is open to those who arrived under the HEP and as independent arrivals. The Government are also running an Explore and Prepare (E and P) scheme to enable heads of households and community leaders with exceptional leave here to return to Kosovo to make advance preparations for the permanent return of their families. To date 1,570 Kosovans have returned under these programmes (1,388 permanent returnees {1,092 HEP and 296 non-HEP} and 182 E and P returns {176 HEP and 6 non-HEP}).
We have provided funds to the Refugee Council to publish a regular newsletter to keep Kosovans informed about the situation in Kosovo and have funded a voluntary returns office to provide help and information.