§ Mr. Bernie GrantTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of the Turkish Kurdish asylum seekers who sought entry in May and June 1989(a) are still to be interviewed and (b) have been interviewed but no decision has yet been made;
638W(2) whether he will make a statement on the length of time it is taking for initial decisions to be reached in the case of the Turkish Kurdish asylum seekers who came to the United Kingdom in May and June 1989.
§ Mr. Peter LloydOf the 3,700 Turkish nationals who claimed asylum on arrival in April, May and June 1989, some 1,900 claimed asylum in their own right and their dependants will have their cases decided accordingly. A special unit has been established which is conducting 40 interviews each week. Some 1,500 applicants have now been interviewed and initial decisions taken in the majority of cases. On 30 March 1990, in 134 cases interviews had been conducted but no decision reached.
We expect to complete most of the remaining interviews and to reach initial decisions on their cases by the end of May. The timetable for interviews has been agreed with solicitors representing the applicants.