HC Deb 16 November 2000 vol 356 cc748-9W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the(a) purpose and (b) present activities of (i) the Odysseus Programme and (ii) the Robert Schuman legal project. [138081]

Mrs. Roche

The Odysseus programme provides training, exchanges and co-operation in the fields of asylum, immigration and crossing of external borders in the 15 member states of the European Union. The programme provides for the possible involvement of the applicant countries. Other non-member countries may also be associated, provided this is in accordance with the programme's objectives.

The programme is supporting approximately 40 projects during 2000, including: projects aimed at assisting applicant countries with the accession process, for example presentation of the European Union acquis in the field of immigration, asylum and control of external borders for Turkish officials; a seminar on the fight against networks in illegal immigration; and a seminar on liaison officers dealing with migration.

Robert Schuman legal project:

The Robert Schuman programme offers financial assistance to national training schemes in Community law for judges and lawyers. The project falls within the ministerial responsibility of the Lord Chancellor.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason a Council directive on minimum standards on procedure for granting and withdrawing refugee status has been proposed; and what his policy is on it. [138089]

Mrs. Roche

The Treaty establishing the European Community envisages the adoption of minimum standards on procedures for granting or withdrawing refugee status within a period of five years after the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam. The importance of such measures was reaffirmed at the Special European Council in Tampere in October 1999. The scoreboard to review progress on the creation of an area of freedom, security and justice in the European Union requires the Commission to submit a proposal for minimum standards on asylum procedures with a view to adoption in April 2001.

The Commission presented a proposed directive to the Council on 28 September. The intention of the proposed directive is to establish minimum standards for the fairness and efficiency of asylum procedures in all the member states. This should make a significant contribution to promoting the balance of effort between member states in terms of the receipt of asylum seekers.

The Government's initial view on this proposed directive will be set out in an Explanatory Memorandum which will be deposited shortly.