§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his policy with regard to the detention of asylum claimants from states which are party to an association agreement with the European Union; [110031]
542W(2) what information is given by his Department to asylum seekers from states which are party to an association agreement with the European Union regarding their rights to establish themselves in the UK. [110032]
§ Mrs. RocheAssociation agreements do not provide an automatic right of establishment. Information regarding the right of establishment is not provided routinely, but is available to asylum seekers and others on request.
Decisions on whether detention is appropriate are made on a case-by-case basis. Detention is used only as a last resort, and only those who are inadmissible passengers, illegal entrants or subject to deportation action may be detained. The existence of an association agreement between an asylum seeker's country of origin and the European Union is not taken into account.