§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
From which countries, apart from Zimbabwe, asylum seekers who no longer have rights of appeal are denied benefit and the right to work in the United Kingdom but are not forced to return. [HL426]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)Section 94(3) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 requires that, with the exception of families including children under the age of 18, support must be terminated to all asylum seekers who have received a final decision on their claim.
The employment concession for asylum seekers was abolished on 23 July 2002. Generally speaking, asylum seekers are no longer able to work while their applications are under consideration although we retain a discretion to grant permission to work in wholly exceptional or compassionate circumstances. Asylum seekers who had been given permission to work prior to abolition of the concession can continue to work until a final decision is made on their claim. It would not be right to allow failed asylum seekers to work when those still awaiting a decision cannot.
All asylum seekers must realise that when their claim has been rejected, and they have exhausted the appeals process, they should leave the UK.