Asylum: Democratic Republic of Congo
Home Department
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the level of risk in returning failed asylum seekers to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Damian Green (Minister of State (Immigration), Home Office; Ashford, Conservative)
The UK Border Agency's Country of Origin Information Service (COIS) monitors the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including the safety of removals. The DRC Country of Origin Information (COI) Report, which includes a section on returns, was published in March and can be found on the Home Office website at:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/coi/
The DRC Operational Guidance Note (OGN) includes guidance to UK Border Agency case owners on returns. This was published in May and can be found also on the Home Office website at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/csap/
The UK Border Agency's returns policy to the DRC is kept under constant review and decisions are taken in the light of prevailing circumstances. Returns are only enforced when it is safe to do so and when the Agency and the courts are satisfied that the individual has no international protection needs.