Explanatory Notes

Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

1999 CHAPTER 33

11 November 1999

Commentary on Sections

Schedule 9

Section 98: Temporary provision of support

307.There may be circumstances where an asylum seeker or his dependants need support before the Home Office has the opportunity to make a formal assessment as to whether support may be provided for a person under section 95. In such cases the Secretary of State is empowered to provide support on an interim basis until a proper assessment is made, where he feels the person in question may be destitute. The support may take any form. The provision might be relied upon where it was necessary to make emergency provision for people arriving at a United Kingdom airport at a weekend, before an assessment can be made by the Home Office screening unit.