Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for asylum from (a) Afghanistan, (b) Yemen and (c) Syria have been told by her Department, in refusing their asylum claims, that it is safe for them to return to their country of origin, in the last 12 months.

The Home Office are unable to state how many applications for asylum from Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria have been told in refusing their asylum claims, it is safe for them to return to their country of origin in the last 12 months, as this information is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

All asylum claims, including those from nationals of Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan, are considered on a case by case basis, based on the facts presented by the claimant, regardless of the claimant’s country of origin and the prevailing situation.

Our country policy and information notes contain an assessment of risk and makes it clear that each case will be considered on its own merits and that no one who is at real risk of persecution or serious harm in Afghanistan, Yemen or Syria will be expected to return. The country policy guidance for each country is available on gov.uk, via the following links: Afghanistan: country policy and information notes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Syria: country policy and information notes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), Yemen: country policy and information notes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)