§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are currently held in Her Majesty's prison establishments; and how many of them are accused of committing a crime. [11611]
§ Mr. KirkhopeAs at 11 December 1996, the latest date for which information is available, 292 persons who had sought asylum were detained in Prison Service establishments solely under Immigration Act powers. In 431W addition to these, a further 121 asylum seekers were detained in prisons under powers other than, or in conjunction with, those contained in the Immigration Act 1971. Information on the number of these persons who are being held on criminal charges, as opposed to those serving a court imposed sentence, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.