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Home Office

Answer

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to revise the status of refused asylum seekers from Zimbabwe who are no longer being deported; and if he will make a statement. [116410] Beverley Hughes: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced a suspension on enforced returns of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe on 15 January 2002. We have, however, continued to process asylum claims. Those who are refused asylum may be granted some other form of leave if they have a protection need or there are other particularly compelling reasons to do so. In such cases a person would have been granted exceptional leave before 1 April 2003, or humanitarian protection or discretionary leave since then. Where a person has not been granted asylum, exceptional leave or humanitarian protection or discretionary leave, it follows that we do not consider that they have demonstrated a protection need or a compelling reason why they should be allowed to remain here. As a result, while we are not enforcing the removal of such individuals to Zimbabwe at present, they have no right to remain in the United Kingdom and are expected to return voluntarily. I consider that it is right that leave should not be granted to those who do not qualify for it under our international obligations or under the immigration rules or Government policy. Such individuals have no basis of stay in the United Kingdom and it would be inappropriate to grant a formal period of leave simply because removal was not currently being enforced.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

116410; 406 c807-8W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Asylum Deportation Zimbabwe

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk