Written question asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist) on Tuesday, 23 June 2015, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 July 2015. It was answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) on Monday, 6 July 2015 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iraq: Iran

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Iranian refugees with United Kingdom connections have been assessed in either Camp Ashraf or Camp Liberty since they were first left to the responsibility of the government of Iraq; how many such refugees have been admitted to the United Kingdom in the interim; and what assessment they have made of how many refugees overall have died as a result of (1) violence, or (2) lack of access to proper medical care.

Answer: We have re-admitted four individuals from Camp Ashraf who hold valid UK travel documents. The Home Office exceptionally agreed to consider whether 52 residents of Camp Liberty previously settled in the UK, but who left many years ago, should be readmitted. Seventeen residents approved for resettlement in the UK by the Home Office are now in the UK. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has also referred 34 further residents and a decision from the Home Office is pending. We do not keep records of fatalities at Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty. We continue to engage with the Government of Iraq on the welfare of the residents of Camp Liberty. Our Embassy in Baghdad regularly raises this issue with the Government of Iraq. We support UN calls for more to be done to protect residents, but remain of the view that the Government of Iraq is responsible for security at the camp. Officials from our Embassy visited Camp Liberty on 28 April and stated that the camp hospital and dentist clinic appeared well maintained and stocked. UN Assistance Mission for Iraq monitors confirmed that, when needed residents, are permitted to leave the camp to attend hospital appointments and for treatment.

Secondary information