Written question asked by Harold Best (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 July 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 15 July 2003. It was answered by Baroness Hughes of Stretford (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 July 2003 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Iraqi asylum seekers have been required to return to Iraq in the past year; and if he will make a statement. - Inc figures and fact that data on removals by nationality on www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1.html.

Answer: Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi asylum seekers have been required to return to Iraq in the past year; and if he will make a statement. [125103] Beverley Hughes: Excluding dependants, it is estimated that 195 Iraqi nationals who had sought asylum at some stage were removed in 2002. This figure includes persons deciding to leave after the initiation of enforcement action against them, and persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Returns Programmes run by the International Organization for Migration. Information on the destination of these removals is not available. Data on removals by nationality in the period January to March 2003 are due to be published on 28 August on the Home Office web-site www. homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1 .html

Secondary information