§ Mr. Stanbrookasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criteria determining the grant or refusal of applications for political asylum; how many such applications have been granted; and in respect of nationals of which countries over the past 10 years.
§ Mr. RaisonThe criteria for the grant of asylum are set out in the immigration rules, which refer to the United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees. Broadly, the test is whether an applicant here has a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion if he returns to his own country.
I regret that the statistical information requested is not available.