§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if his Department will reimburse local authorities for costs incurred after 25 June in respect of Kosovans evacuated to the United Kingdom under humanitarian and medical evacuation programmes; [130111]
(2) what is his policy on the provision of accommodation and support to Kosovans who came to the United Kingdom under humanitarian or medical evacuation programmes and who remained here after 25 June. [130110]
§ Mrs. RocheKosovan Albanians who were evacuated to the United Kingdom on the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme between 25 April and 25 June 1999 or who were later evacuated on the medical evacuation programme were granted a maximum of 12 months leave to enter. They were eligible to claim social security benefits or to take employment during this period. They will continue to qualify for support (including accommodation) if they made an application for further exceptional leave before their original leave expired until 28 days after the decision to refuse their application. They are also eligible to work until an appeal has been dealt with. If they are granted further leave to remain they will be eligible for support during that extended period of leave.
The special grants we propose to pay to certain local authorities in England, towards expenditure incurred in 2000–01, are specified in Special Grant Report (No. 68) which was laid before the House on 6 July.
Under the terms of the Report, Kosovans evacuated under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme ceased to be eligible for support when their initial period of exceptional leave to enter the UK expired (25 June 2000 at the latest). However, local authorities will be able to claim for costs associated with the closure of certain vacated reception and return centres up to 25 July.
Expenditure on support for evacuees who arrived on authorised medical evacuation flights will continue until their initial period of exceptional leave to enter ends: up to 31 March 2001 (in some cases).