To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK Border Agency, when considering the deportation of an individual to a country with which the UK does not have a Memorandum of Understanding (a) assesses the human rights and political situation in the relevant country each time an individual case arises and (b) has a general policy on the human rights and political situation of a country at any one time. (241000)

All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the European Convention on Human Rights against the background of the latest accurate, sourced and up-to-date country information.

The UK Border Agency's Country of Origin Information Service closely monitors the situation in all countries that generate asylum seekers to the UK. The material is compiled from a wide range of reliable external information sources and reports are updated frequently and significant changes in country conditions communicated to decision makers.

The UK Border Agency will only enforce the return of individuals who they, and the courts, are satisfied are not in need of international protection and who do not elect to leave the UK voluntarily.

Removal will be carried out only where it is considered both appropriate and safe to do so. This general policy applies to all removals whether or not an individual has raised an asylum or human rights claim.