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Repatriation

Volume 506: debated on Tuesday 23 February 2010

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on the (a) Facilitated Returns Scheme and (b) Assisted Voluntary Returns programme in each year of their operation; and how many individuals have been awarded funds in each such year. (315379)

Expenditure by the UK Border Agency on the Facilitated Returns Scheme (FRS) from its inception in October 2006 to March 2009 was approximately £4.3 million. Of the 4,200 foreign national prisoners removed or deported in 2007 around 25 per cent. were removed under the scheme. Of the 5,400 foreign national prisoners removed in 2008 and the 3,890 removed in quarters 1-3 2009, around 30 per cent. were removed under FRS.

Assisted Voluntary Return programmes costs by full programme year 2000-07

Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration programme

Programme year

Total funding (£)

2000-01

557,827

2001-02

992,587

2002-03

956,048

2003-04

4,500,823

2004-05

7,267,560

2005-06

8,640,406

2006-07

15,390,384

2007-08

11,132,486

Total

49,438,121

Notes:

1. Pilot programme 1999.

2. Programme year 2000-05—April to July extended.

3. Programme year 2005-06 onwards—August to July.

Assisted Voluntary Return for irregular migrants

Programme year

Total funding (€)

2005-06

555,453

2006-07

1,518,112

2007-08

1,803,994

Total

3,877,559

Notes:

1. Pilot 15 November 2004 to 31 March 2005

2. Programme year—April to March

These costs may be subject to revision and are still subject to audit, costs have yet to be agreed. 2008 programme final

The following table shows how many individuals left under AVR.

Asylum cases leaving under AVR programmes

Non-Asylum cases leaving under AVR programmes

1999

50

2000

550

2001

980

2002

895

2003

1,755

2004

2,705

10

2005

3,235

420

2006

5,340

860

20071

2,865

1,290

20081

2,700

1,595

1 Provisional figures.

Both AVR and FRS are currently part funded by the European Union.