Written question asked by Baroness Tonge (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 2 June 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 June 2003. It was answered by Denis MacShane (Labour) on Monday, 9 June 2003 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the refugee and asylum screening process is for Haitian boat people arriving in the Turks and Caicos.

Answer: Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the refugee and asylum screening process is for Haitian boat people arriving in the Turks and Caicos. [117090] Mr. MacShane: Immigration is the responsibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government. The TCI authorities believe that those arriving by sea are economic migrants. Those detained are screened for identification purposes and usually repatriated as soon as possible. There have been no known asylum cases from Haiti. TCI bears the substantial costs of detention and repatriation by air.

Secondary information