Instead ministers are considering paying failed asylum seekers from Afghanistan to return home.

I have decided to end the routine granting of ELR to failed Afghan asylum seekers

Beverley Hughes

The move is in response to "the considerable improvement in the conditions" in the country in the wake of Allied intervention.

Home Secretary David Blunkett is expected to discuss the measure with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy at a meeting in Paris on Friday, where he will make a call for Sangatte refugee camp to be closed.

Until now, Afghans with unfounded asylum claims had been given a period of exceptional leave to remain (ELR) in the UK.

But Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes said improved conditions would mean the end of that blanket policy from Friday, although refugees would still be a right of appeal.

Right of appeal

"We believe that improvement will be sustained, as shown by the recent establishment of the transitional government," she said.

"In recognition of that, I have decided to end the routine granting of ELR to failed Afghan asylum seekers.

"At the same time I am considering introducing a package of assistance for those who choose to go home voluntarily, to help them re- establish themselves in Afghanistan.

What we are hoping is that the Friday meeting will set out the road map leading to Sangatte's eventual closure

British official

"We want to help those who volunteer to go back, to help them make their return sustainable so they can help rebuild their country."

Other nations use payment schemes as a means of returning failed asylum seekers to their country of origin.

Australia gives up to �4,000 per returning family, while some European countries give up to �2,000 per person.

It is expected that France will match any financial offer made by the UK in a bid to reduce the so-called "pull factors" attracting people to the UK.

During his trip to Paris, Mr Blunkett will press Mr Sarkozy for a timetable leading to the closure of the Sangatte camp.

In a recent turnaround of former policy, the French made clear their wish to close the camp.

People-trafficking

But the British Government has denied that a deal had been reached.

The French authorities have been told by the European Commission to improve security on their side of the Channel Tunnel.

Critics have described Sangatte, near Calais, as a springboard for illegal immigrants trying to reach the UK.

The centre accommodates 1,300 mainly Kurdish and Afghan asylum seekers.

There are nightly attempts to get from Sangatte to Britain

Last month, the UK pledged about �5m to beef up security at the Frethun rail terminal, at the Channel Tunnel entrance, which is increasingly targeted by groups of refugees from Sangatte who try to board the trains on a nightly basis, causing severe disruption to freight services.

The package was among a number of measures agreed between France and the UK in an attempt to progress to the eventual closure of the nearby Sangatte refugee camp.

Mr Sarkozy has argued that closing Sangatte is an "objective" for France, but no date would be set for closure of the camp until the UK toughened up its immigration laws.

Mr Blunkett has said he would publish a consultation paper on identity cards.

This was welcomed by France, which has called on Britain to tackle the so-called "pull factors" attracting people to the UK.