CONFIDENTIAL
2(b)
ASYLUM
LINE TO TAKE
Refugee status is granted to a person who demonstrates the well-founded fear of persecution required by the 1951 Convention. A person who does
not qualify for refugee status may nonetheless be granted exceptional
leave to remain if either his personal circumstances or the general
conditions in his country are such that it would not be appropriate
to insist on his departure.
BACKGROUND
Article 1 of the 1951 Convention provides a definition of the term
'refugee' which shall apply to any person who 'owing to a well-founded
fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality,
membership of a particular social group or political opinion
unable or, owing to such a fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of the country of his former habitual residence'.
is
For those not qualifying for refugee status on this basis, exceptional
leave, outside the Immigration Rules, may be granted if conditions in
the country of origin, or the personal circumstances of the applicant
indicate that it would be inappropriate for him to return. At present
there are exceptional policies for nationals of Lebanon, Uganda,
Afghanistan, Poland and Sri Lanka who express a fear of return.
Individual cases may be of any nationality and are decided on the special
elements presented.
The figures of individual asylum applications for the 12 months 1 July
1985 to 30 June 1986 are:
3,948 Applications received
3,201
Cases decided
617
Refugee Recognitions
1,822
762
Exceptional leave
Refusals
At the end of the same period 5,808 applications were awaiting decision.
NB
Figures produced on a half-yearly basis may be slightly at variance with the annual statistics.
CONFIDENTIAL
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