Angela Eagle responds to concerns over temporary pause raised by Asylum Matters and hundreds of others
In a letter to Asylum Matters and other organisations published last week, Angela Eagle, the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, has provided an update on the temporary pause of Syrian asylum claims.
Image credit: WikipediaThe Home Office suspended decisions on Syrian claims on 9 December following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government. Asylum Matters, along with hundreds of other organisations and individuals, wrote to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper shortly after to express deep concern at the decision and to urge the Government to reconsider the suspension.
Asylum Matters has now received a response to its letter from Angela Eagle, confirming that the pause will remain in place. The minister noted that as there is no stable, objective information on which to base an accurate assessment of a claimant's risk on return to Syria, the Government is still unable to make robust and reliable decisions on Syrian claims.
The minister continued by setting out the following important details about the operation of the temporary pause:
"First, let me provide assurance that, in accordance with our international obligations, no-one will be removed to their home country or any other nation where they would face persecution or serious harm. Furthermore, I can confirm that we continue to register new asylum claims from Syrian nationals in accordance with published policy so that they have access to the protections afforded to asylum seekers in the UK.
"In line with existing policies, any Syrian nationals who are resident in the UK with valid permission to stay will need to apply for further permission to stay or settlement before their current permission expires. For those who apply for settlement protection after five years' residency in the UK, a safe return review will be undertaken to assess whether it is safe for the applicant to return to Syria.
"Asylum claimants (including those from Syria) will continue to receive support where appropriate. The Home Office has a legal obligation, as set out in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, to support asylum seekers (including any dependants) who would otherwise be destitute. Asylum seekers can apply for accommodation, subsistence, or both accommodation and subsistence support.
"Unaccompanied asylum-seeking child claimants (including those from Syria) will continue to be supported by local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales, and Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland, where appropriate in line with their statutory duties whilst they await a decision. …
"Asylum seekers are not eligible to apply for permission to work unless their asylum claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own. The current hold on Syrian applications is not considered to be the fault of the individual and therefore the hold alone will not impact any future application for permission to work."
Angela Eagle added that the Government is keeping the pause under constant review, and asylum decision making will recommence as soon as there is a sufficiently clear basis upon which to make determinations.
You can read the minister's full letter here.
Asylum Matters said the minister's letter was not the response they had hoped for, noting that it would be disappointing news for Syrian asylum seekers in the UK who find themselves stuck in limbo.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported last week that while there is growing interest among Syrian refugees in returning home, the most recent UNHCR survey indicates that approximately three-quarters currently have no plans to do so within the next year, opting to wait and observe how the situation evolves.
UNHCR highlighted the immense challenges faced by returning refugees, exacerbated by Syria's ongoing humanitarian crisis after years of conflict and economic hardship. Many returning refugees find their homes damaged or destroyed, and essential services such as healthcare, water, and electricity severely disrupted, leaving millions struggling to survive harsh winter conditions.
Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, UNHCR's Representative in Syria, said that returnees often struggle to secure an income and therefore become overly dependent on humanitarian aid. Hiba Shannan, UNHCR Assistant Protection Officer in Dar'a, noted: "The challenges here are many. We are in a community with huge needs … there is a lot of destruction. People are returning to live in [homes] without roofs, without kitchens, without proper services, without proper infrastructure."
A refugee who returned to her home in Dar'a after 12 years in Jordan told UNHCR: "When I saw my home, it was in ruins. Life is truly painful – the basic necessities are missing. The sewage system is blocked, and I can't manage even the simplest things. I don't have the money to fix anything. … I was shocked by the state of the entire country. The way people are living is heartbreaking; they barely have the basics of life. God willing, it will be rebuilt someday. I have great faith in God that Syria will return to how it used to be; that it will be rebuilt."