Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are in place to offer safe passage to the UK for those seeking refuge from institutionalised religious persecution across the world.

The UK has a proud tradition of providing protection to those who need it and fully considers all asylum applications lodged in the UK in accordance with our international obligations. However there is no obligation on us to consider applications or enquiries made on behalf of people abroad about asylum in the UK. The approach of both the UK and the European Union is that an individual should apply for protection from the authorities in the first available safe country, irrespective of whether or not it is a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, failing which the local office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should be able to assist.

Moreover, under international law, someone seeking asylum must first be outside the country of his nationality or habitual residence, since international protection cannot be provided while a person is within the territorial jurisdiction of his home country.

The UK will continue to fulfil its responsibilities to those who arrive within our borders and seek protection.

While there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be given permission to travel to the UK to seek asylum, the Government operates a Gateway Protection Programme, established several years ago with the aim of bringing genuine refugees direct to the UK. This Programme is run in partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).It underpins the UK’s proud tradition of providing protection to refugees and the Government’s commitment to supporting UNHCR’s global effort to provide durable solutions to the plight of refugees.