HC Deb 23 February 1994 vol 238 cc270-1W
Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will respond to the resolution of the European Parliament concerning the deserters and conscientious objectors in former Yugoslavia; and what action will be taken to assist those individuals.

Mr. Charles Wardle

We have noted the terms of this resolution. All applications for asylum, including those from deserters and draft evaders, are considered carefully on their merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention on the status of refugees.

Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list, by country of origin, how many asylum seekers whose applications were made before the enactment of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 have since had their application determined; how many were granted refugee status; how many were granted exceptional leave to remain; and how many were refused;

(2) if he will list, by country of origin, how many asylum seekers have made application since the enactment of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993; how many of these applications have been determined; how many applicants have been granted refugee status; and how many have been granted exceptional leave to remain.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The table provides information on applications and decisions made in the period 1 August 1993 to 31 January 1994.

A split of the decision figures between those where the application was lodged before enactment of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 and those lodged after is not readily available.

Applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and decisions1, by nationality, 1 August 1993 to 31 January 1994
Number of principal applicants
Applications received2 Decisions2 3
Total decisions Recognised as a and granted granted asylum4 Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leaves5 Total refusals6
Europe and Americas
Bulgaria 55 20 * 15
Colombia 175 70 * 70
Romania 150 155 5 150
Turkey 730 515 80 40 400
Former USSR 195 25 25
Former Yugoslavia 620 155 5 100 55
Others 325 80 * * 80
Total 2,255 1,020 80 145 790
Africa
Angola 195 145 * * 140
Benin 5 15 15
Cameroon 35 15 15
Congo 5 10 10
Ethiopia 295 95 5 25 65
Ghana 925 630 * * 625
Nigeria 1,200 315 5 315
Sierra Leone 475 170 * 5 165
Somalia 600 760 10 615 135
Sudan 145 120 35 10 75
Togo/Ivory Coast 180 95 * 90
Uganda 185 205 * 15 185
Zaire 245 250 * 5 245
Others 905 420 10 50 380
Total 5,405 3,245 65 740 2,445
Middle East
Iran 160 80 40 5 35
Iraq 260 145 75 60 15
Lebanon 145 50 * 5 40
Others 145 130 10 15 110
Total 705 405 120 85 200
Asia
China 120 40 10 5 30
India 685 560 * 5 560
Pakistan 545 330 5 320
Sri Lanka 1,130 235 5 50 180
Others 315 130 5 5 120
Total 2,795 1,295 20 65 1,210
Other and unknown nationalities 130 25 * 25
Grand Total 11,285 6,000 290 1,040 4,670
1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5 with *=1 or 2.
2 Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.
3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the period.
4 Excluding south-east Asian refugees.
5 Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject than to further review.
6 Total refused includes: those refused after full consideration, those refused on third country grounds where the applicant had arrived from a safe third country, and those refused under paragraph 180F of the immigration rules for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to two invitations to interview to establish identity.