We need to alert you to two sets of letters from the Home Office. One lot has already started dropping through people’s doors. This is the legacy questionnaire, and is part of the drive to deal with the backlog of pre Nam cases. It appears that families are being particularly targeted. If anyone you know receives such a questionnaire they MUST get legal advice before completing it, as it in effect becomes a constituent part of their asylum claim. If people do not have solicitors then get them to turn up at the Refugee Legal Centre (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) or Immigration Advisory Service  (Wednesday and Thursday) as early as they can of a morning , ideally to be seen at the drop in service.(The suggestion is 8.30 am.)  We are also receiving warning of a new scheme the Home Office is threatening (yes I know they’ve got a new name but this is quicker!) called Clan Ebor. (Don’t ask me) Its basically a new version of Section 9, has been piloted in Glasgow and is about to be piloted in Leeds and Kirklees.the theory is that letters will start going out around the end of July. 60 families will receive questionnaires. They will then be asked to bring their entire family with photos to a Case Conference, I think after 30 days, with a view to describing their plans for returning home. If nothing is done they will then be invited after 60 days and if nothing is in place, the implication is they will then be deported.   This is NOT at the moment hard and fast information. Its the Home Office – it could change at any point. The papers may be blue and will probably need to be returned to Waterside, (whereas the Legacy ones are more likely to be returned to Croydon).The vital point is that, like the Legacy questionnaires, people MUST seek legal advice before completing them. The Refugee Legal Centre, Immigration Advisory Service and Harehills and Chapeltown Law Centre are all offering special legal help for this particular situation. Also the Refugee Council are wanting to co ordinate response and support around this so are asking anyone who receives the Clan Ebor letter to let them know.(They might even be able to provide specialist up to date in country information).  We will obviously keep you posted with any other necessary information. It is likely that Befriending families will be a large part of both these groups. Do feel free to get in touch with us if you’re not sure what to recommend. I’m afraid both Pauline and Cherry are way on hols next week (16^th to 20^th July), Cherry is back from the 23^rd (Monday and Tuesday) and  Pauline is back from the 31^st July. Thank you for being there! xx