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Asylum: Somalia

Volume 470: debated on Tuesday 22 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers of each age group and sex were returned to Somalia in the six months from 1 July 2007; what her policy is on returning women and children to Somalia; and what areas in Somalia are considered safe for return. (177821)

A breakdown of removals to Somalia according to age and sex is set out in the following table. Information relating to the number of asylum applicants removed from the UK during the last quarter of 2007 will be published shortly in the Asylum Statistics: 4th Quarter 2007 bulletin, copies of which will be available from the House Library.

All returns to Somalia, including returns of women and children, are assessed on their individual merits against the background of the latest country information and will only take place when it is established that there are no protection needs.

Those without any legal basis of stay in the UK may also return voluntarily to Somalia. There are scheduled air services to a number of destinations in Somalia—Mogadishu, Bosasso, Hargeisa, Berbera, Burao and Galcaiyo.

Removals, voluntary departures and assisted returns1 of asylum applicants, including dependants, to Somalia, July to September 20072

Number of removals

Gender

Age of applicant at removal date

Male

Female

Total

Under 18

18-29

*

*

30-39

5

*

5

40-49

*

*

50-59

60+

*

*

Total

5

*

10

1 Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration and those who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.

2 Figures are rounded to the nearest five (— = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding.

Note:

Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, including dependants.