Written question asked by Nicholas Brown (Labour) on Thursday, 17 May 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 May 2007. It was answered by Liam Byrne (Labour) on Tuesday, 22 May 2007 on behalf of the Home Office.

Asylum: Somalia

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the risk faced by a member of the minority Reer Hamar clan in Somalia of persecution in that country; and what account is taken of that risk assessment in determining claims for asylum by members of the Reer Hamar clan in the United Kingdom.

Answer: The situation in Somalia including the position of the Rer Hamar minority group is monitored closely from a wide range of recognised and publicly disclosable governmental, non governmental and human rights sources. Asylum decision makers carefully assess the protection needs of each asylum applicant in accordance with our international obligations and against the background of this country information. While it is accepted that some individuals of the Rer Hamar group will be able to demonstrate a need for international protection, it is not considered that each and every member of this group who applies for asylum will demonstrate a need for international protection.

Secondary information