Written question asked by Claire Curtis-Thomas (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 February 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 26 February 2009. It was answered by Phil Woolas (Labour) on Tuesday, 3 March 2009 on behalf of the Home Office.

Asylum

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on granting asylum to applicants who claim to have been persecuted by members of (a) another ethnic group and (b) armed groups operating unlawfully in their country of origin.

Answer: Our policy in deciding whether to grant asylum is set out in the immigration rules.In accordance with this policy, UK Border Agency case owners carefully consider asylum claims to determine whether the person has a well-founded fear of persecution on grounds of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group. This will include persecution by members of another ethnic group or armed groups operating unlawfully in the country of origin where the state authorities, or the organisation (including international organisations) controlling the state territory, are unable or unwilling to provide protection against persecution or serious harm and where the individual cannot reasonably be expected to avoid the persecution by relocating within the country concerned.

Secondary information