§ Mr. Hilary BennTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovan refugees in the UK applied for leave to remain in the last 12 months; and what percentage of such applications(a) were granted, (b) were refused and (c) are under consideration.[127088]
§ Mrs. RocheSince March 2000, of those who arrived from Kosovo under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme, 656 principal applicants have sought an extension of exceptional leave to enter, 374 have applied for asylum and 150 have applied for both exceptional leave and asylum. Five per cent. of the applications have been granted, 33 per cent. refused and 62 per cent. are outstanding.
§ Mr. Hilary BennTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in support of allowing Kosovan refugees to remain in the United Kingdom until such time as they feel able to return. [127089]
§ Mrs. RocheMinisters and officials have corresponded with and have had regular meetings with various non-Governmental organisations involved with the support of the Kosovan evacuees since they came to the United Kingdom last year.
147WKosovan Albanians who were evacuated to the United Kingdom under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme (HEP) between 25 April and 25 June 1999 were granted 12 months' leave to enter. As agreed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at the outset of the evacuation process, protection was afforded on a temporary basis only. It was made clear at the time and subsequently that the leave of the evacuated Kosovans would not be extended and that they would be expected to return to Kosovo as soon as it was safe to do so.
UNHCR judge that it is now safe for the majority of Kosovan Albanians to return to Kosovo and this has been exemplified by the one million Kosovans who have voluntarily chosen to return since July 1999.
§ Mr. Hilary BennTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovan refugees were returned to Kosovo on each day between 1 and 16 June. [127087]
§ Mrs. RocheAll of the 469 Kosovans who arrived in the United Kingdom under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme and the 69 who arrived in the United Kingdom independently, returned to Kosovo on the permanent voluntary return programme between 1 and 16 June. The table shows the number of Kosovans returning permanently on each flight between 1 and 16 June.
Date Humanitarian evacuation programme Independent arrivals 1 June 120 11 9 June 112 15 15 June 93 31 16 June 144 12 Total 469 69