Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 30 January 2003)

§ Mr. Malins
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether persons who fought against British and US troops in Afghanistan have(a) applied for and (b) been granted asylum; and if he will make a statement. [92877]

§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 23 January 2003]Between 1 January and 30 September 2002 6,910 initial decisions were made on applications made by Afghan nationals. Of these 80 were grants of asylum.
All applications for asylum are considered on their merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The UK is under no obligation whatsoever to give asylum to those who pose a threat to our security and national interest. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary requested a full examination of grants of asylum to Afghans as a result of recent press speculation. This process is on-going, but absolutely no evidence has so far been uncovered that anybody with a credible claim to have supported and fought for the Taliban has been granted asylum. All claims of links to the Taliban are investigated and security checks are made on those that give cause for concern.
1028W

§ Mr. Rosindell
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has introduced in order to improve the effectiveness of vetting asylum seekers for terrorist links.[92840]

§ Beverley Hughes
All asylum seekers are screened, in a three-tier processThe details of all asylum seekers are checked against the Warnings Index system. Their fingerprints are taken and checked against existing Home Office record and EURODAC and they are photographed. New asylum seekers are being issued with an Application Registration Card and we have established reporting centres to improve the contact management arrangements.
The last step, the interview, has different levels of screening which allow for those with acceptable evidence of identity and nationality to be fed into the system while allowing for more in-depth screening interviews for those with little or no credible evidence. Should there be any indication given during any of the process that someone might be of security interest then the information is quickly passed onto the appropriate agencies.

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what counties a search is being conducted by his Department or its agencies for(a) accommodation centres and (b) induction centres for asylum seekers; how many premises have been identified as suitable for such purposes; how many offers have been made; how many contracts have been exchanged; how many contracts have been completed of the purchase of such properties; and if he will list the last. [93091]

§ Beverley Hughes
We have submitted planning notifications for accommodation centres at DSDC (Defence Storage Distribution Centre) Bicester and Royal Air Force (RAF) Newton. A shortlist of three further sites remains under consideration. They are: Sully Hospital, Cardiff; AirWest, Edinburgh; Hemswell Cliff, Lincolnshire. Site searching continues, but details of sites will not be put into the public domain unless or until the site is considered to be a serious prospect for the siting of an accommodation centre.
To date the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has entered into contracts for the use of hotel beds to support induction processes in Dover and Sittingbourne. NASS is currently considering options for other such accommodation throughout the UK. Details of these sites cannot be released because that information is commercially sensitive.

§ Mr. Hoban
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism is in place to track the place of residence in the UK of those who have sought asylum. [93204]

§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 23 January 2003]As part of the initial screening process, asylum-seekers are required to provide proof of residence at a particular address. This address is recorded in their Home Office file and in the databases maintained by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). Applicants and their representatives are told that they must notify the Home Office of any subsequent change of address, at which point the records are amended. For those subject to a reporting regime, verification of the place of residence is carried out during the reporting event.
1029W

§ Andrew Selous
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Home Office will be placing asylum seekers in Quadrant House in Dunstable, Bedforshire. [93663]

§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 28 January 2003]There are no current plans to use Quadrant House, Dunstable, Bedfordshire as accommodation for asylum seekers. This should not be taken to mean that the Home Office would not ever consider the property if it was put forward. The property has not been offered to us.

§ Mr. Jon Owen Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Afghan nationals claiming asylum in Britain have stated that they fought with the Taliban; and how many of these asylum claims have been accepted. [92983]

§ Beverley Hughes
(Between 1 January and 30 September 2002 6,910 initial decisions were made on applications made by Afghan nationals. Of these 80 were grants of asylum).
All applications for asylum are considered on their merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. The UK is under no obligation whatsoever to give asylum to those who pose a threat to our security and national interest. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary requested a full examination of grants of asylum to Afghans as a result of recent press speculation. This process is on-going, but absolutely no evidence has so far been uncovered that anybody with a credible claim to have supported and fought for the Taliban has been granted asylum. All claims of links to the Taliban are investigated and security checks are made on those that give cause for concern.