Written question asked by Humfrey Malins (Conservative) on Tuesday, 7 June 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 9 June 2005. It was answered by Tony McNulty (Labour) on Monday, 4 July 2005 on behalf of the Home Office.

Asylum and Immigration

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason applicants for asylum arriving from France are not returned to France.

Answer: Returns of applicants to other European states, including France, are governed by the provisions of the Dublin II and Eurodac regulations.Where there is evidence that France is the responsible state, then the appropriate procedures will be initiated by the Immigration Service to secure the transfer of the applicant to France.If the evidence and application of the Dublin arrangements establishes that responsibility lies with any other participating state then the appropriate transfer would be sought to that state rather than to France.If no other participating state (including France) has responsibility in accordance with the Dublin II criteria then the application for asylum is considered by the United Kingdom.

Secondary information