HC Deb 22 October 2001 vol 373 c73W
Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have been returned to Algeria in each of the last 10 years; and what guidance he gives for returning Algerians to that country. [8074]

Angela Eagle

The requested information on the number of failed asylum seekers returned to Algeria in each of the last 10 years is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Available information on the number of Algerian nationals who were removed from the United Kingdom, having at some stage sought asylum, is shown in the table.

Number
1995 150
1996 200
1997 180
1998 80
1999 100
2000 80

Guidance on returning Algerians to Algeria takes account of objective country information and advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The country information sources are listed in the bibliography of the Algerian country assessment, a copy of which is in the Library and on the Home Office website. The policy to remove failed asylum seekers to Algeria if they have no other basis of stay in the United Kingdom is in line with that of other European countries.