Sections:
Response On the “Justice for Iraq’s Refugees” Campaign
May 2008
I share your concerns about the humanitarian situation for displaced Iraqis, including refugees in the Middle East region.
The UK Government is committed to assisting displaced Iraqis and helping to alleviate the burden on host communities. Since 2003, the UK has committed over £130 million in humanitarian assistance for vulnerable Iraqis, including Iraqi refugees in the region. This includes £4.75 million for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which supports internally and externally displaced Iraqis, including those in Jordan and Syria.
As a major contributor to the European Commission (EC), the UK has also supported the EC’s programmes to strengthen the Jordanian and Syrian education and health sectors. Last year, the EC allocated an additional €9 million to their ongoing health sector modernisation project in Syria. This money will strengthen health services in areas with large Iraqi populations. In Jordan, the EC has allocated €26.7 million in budget support, which will build capacity in the Jordanian education sector to accommodate Iraqi refugee children.
You would be aware that the UK has in place a global resettlement programme for refugees, the Gateway Protection Programme. Gateway provides a discretionary safe route to the UK for some of the world’s most vulnerable refugees, as identified by UNHCR. The UK Government recognises that the outflow of Iraqis to other countries in the region has created one of the world’s most pressing refugee situations. The UK has therefore set aside 500 places for some of the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees, out of a total of 750 places available in the Gateway programme for 2008/09. There will also be another 500 places available for Iraqi refugees in 2009/10.
The UK Government evaluates all unsuccessful asylum claims on an individual basis before enforcing returns. The UK will only enforce returns, where we are satisfied it is safe to do so.
In general, the UK does not continue to provide asylum support (subsistence and/or accommodation) to unsuccessful asylum seekers. However, safeguards are in place for families with dependants under the age of 18, and for people who are temporarily unable to leave the UK due to circumstances beyond their control, who would be destitute without support.
Asylum seekers are not usually allowed to take employment in the UK. An exception applies to those who have been waiting 12 months or more for an initial decision, and where the delay cannot be attributed to them. This is the standard practice in countries which have implemented the EC Directive on reception of asylum seekers. All asylum seekers are entitled to support while their application is being considered. If they are unsuccessful, they may still qualify for support through the above safeguards.
Douglas Alexander
Secretary of State for International Development