HC Deb 12 February 1997 vol 290 cc202-3W
Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum applications are currently awaiting an initial decision by his Department's asylum directorate; and how many of these applications were made in(a) 1991 or earlier, (b) 1992, (c) 1993, (d) 1994, (e) 1995 and (f) 1996; [13264]

(2) how many asylum applications are outstanding from nationals of (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iran, (c) Iraq, (d) Somalia and (e) the former Yugoslavia; and how many of these applications were made in (i) 1992 or earlier, (ii) 1993, (iii) 1994, (iv) 1995 and (v) 1996. [13267]

Miss Widdecombe

The number of asylum applications awaiting an initial decision as at 31 December 1996 was 55,695, a reduction on the equivalent figure for the end of 1995–69,650. Of those applications currently awaiting an initial decision, the number which had been made following the implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 has now been revised to 43,025. This follows an extensive count of cases which has shown that the method of estimation previously used underestimated the number of pre-1993 Act cases that have been decided. An

Asylum applications from requested nationalities awaiting an initial decision as at 31 December 1996, by year of application
Nationality Applications outstanding1 Year of application2
Number Per cent. 1996 Per cent. 1995 Per cent. 1994 Per cent. 1993 Per cent. 1992 Per cent. Pre-1992 Per cent.
Afghanistan 730 100 50 35 10 5 0 0
Iran 1,095 100 30 35 15 5 15 0
Iraq 985 100 45 40 10 5 0 0
Somalia former 450 100 45 45 10 5 0 0
Yugoslavia 4,045 100 10 25 10 15 35 0
All nationalities 55,695 100 20 35 20 10 10 10
1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5.
2 Estimates rounded to the nearest 5 per cent.