§ Mrs. Barbara RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were determined in 1994; in how many cases(a) the applicant was granted asylum, (b) the applicant was refused and (c) the application was refused under paragraph 345 of the immigration rules.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerInformation on decisions taken on applications for asylum in 1994, is in the table.
Decisions1 2 on applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by type, 1994 Number of applicants 31994 Total Decisions 20,990 Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum4 825 Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain 3,660 Total refused 16,500 Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration 12,655 Refused on safe third country grounds5 865 Refused under paragraph 180F of Immigration Rules6 2,985 1 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period. 2 Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the out-come of appeals or other subsequent decisions. 3 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5. 4 Excluding South East Asian refugees. 5 Refusals under para 345 of the Immigration Rules since 1 October 1994. 6 Para 340 refusals since I October 1994. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been removed to France on safe third country grounds since 26 July 1993; and how many of those so removed have been returned to the United Kingdom by the French authorities.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerAvailable records show that 153 asylum seeker have been removed to France on safe third country grounds since 26 July 1993. Of these, 80 have been returned to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by country of origin of current applicants for asylum, of the duration of their application, the time spent in detention and the proposed action, if any, by his Department.
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§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe available information on the number of applications for asylum awaiting an initial decision as at 31 December 1994, by nationality, is given in the table. Information on the length of time these applicants have been waiting for an initial decision is not available.
As at 30 January 1995, 139 persons who were awaiting an initial decision on their application for asylum were detained.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been removed to France on safe third country grounds since 26 July 1993; and how many of those so removed have been returned to the United Kingdom by the French authorities.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerAvailable records show that 153 asylum seekers have been removed to France on safe third country grounds since 26 July 1993. Of these, 80 have been returned to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown by country of origin of current applicants for asylum, of the duration of their application, the time spent in detention and the proposed action, if any, by his Department.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe available information on the number of applications for asylum awaiting an initial decision as at 31 December 1994, by nationality, is given in the table. Information on the length of time these applicants have been waiting for an initial decision is not available.
As at 30 January 1995, 139 persons who were awaiting an initial decision on their application for asylum were detained.
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The number of asylum applications outstanding, excluding dependants, as at 31 December 1994, by nationality Nationality Applications outstanding Europe including Americas Bulgaria 550 Colombia 590 Romania 805 Turkey 3,545 Former USSR 1,155 Former Yugoslavia 5,990 Others 1,630 Total 14,265 Africa Angola 1,815 Benin 50 Cameroon 175 Ethiopia 1,345 Ghana 5,435 Kenya 2,090 Nigeria 5,100 Somalia 1,025 Sudan 510 Togo/Ivory Coast 1,300 Uganda 1,275 Zaire 3,570 Others1 3,570 Total 27,270 Middle East Iran 805 Iraq 575 Lebanon 475
The number of asylum applications outstanding, excluding dependants, as at 31 December 1994, by nationality Nationality Applications outstanding Others 945 Total 2,805 Asia China 860 India 2,630 Pakistan 2,760 Sri Lanka 3,185 Others 1,405 Total 10,840 Nationality Unknown 80 Grand Total 55,255 1 includes Sierra Leone
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown by nationality of the number of asylum seekers removed from the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds in 1994.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerInformation on the number of removals of asylum seekers whose applications were refused on safe third country grounds, by nationality, for 1994 is given in the table.
Information on the destination of asylum applicants refused and removed on safe third country grounds, and the number of those who were returned by the country removed to, could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
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Number1 of asylum seekers whose applications were refused on safe third country grounds and who were removed, excluding dependants, by nationality, 1994. Refusals Europe Albania 3 Bulgaria 6 Czechoslovakia 11 Poland 6 Romania 11 Turkey 18 Former USSR 6 Former Yugoslavia 16 Total 77 Americas Colombia 1 Other Americas 2 Total 3 Africa Algeria 27 Angola 13 Ethiopia 9 Ghana 21 Ivory Coast 10 Kenya 2 Liberia 8 Morocco 1 Niger 1 Nigeria 15 Sierra Leone 12 Somalia 14
Number1 of asylum seekers whose applications were refused on safe third country grounds and who were removed, excluding dependants, by nationality, 1994. Refusals South Africa 5 Sudan 4 Tanzania 2 Uganda 5 Zaire 4 Other Africa 2 Total 155 Middle East Iran 3 Iraq 7 Lebanon 6 Total 16 Asia Afghanistan 3 Bangladesh 3 China 6 India 6 Pakistan 7 Sri Lanka 24 Total 49 Other and nationality not known 6 Grand Total 306 1 Provisional information pending the analysis of late data.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if those seeking asylum in Britain are entitled to legal aid in order to apply for(a) a writ of habeas corpus and (b) a judicial review.
Mr. John M. TaylorI have been asked to reply. Civil legal aid is available for both of these proceedings, subject to the statutory means and merits tests.
§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who are seeking asylum in the United Kingdom have been detained in the past 12 months, in(a) Campsfield, (b) Haslar holding centre, (c) Rochester and (d) Rickmansworth.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.