§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the cost to (i) Devon County Council and (ii) Plymouth City Council of maintaining illegal immigrants from Plymouth Ferry Port in each of the last three years; [64258]
(2) what has been the cost to (a) Hampshire County Council and (b) Portsmouth City Council of maintaining illegal immigrants from Portsmouth Ferry Port in each of the last three years. [64259]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThis information is not available to the Home Office. The hon. Member should approach the local authorities.
Illegal immigrants who do not claim asylum and who have no special needs are not eligible for support from public funds. Asylum seekers and other illegal immigrants (who are given temporary leave to enter) who are not otherwise detained and who are able to support themselves are free to live within the United Kingdom in a place of their own choosing. Asylum seekers who register their application for asylum at their port of entry may be eligible for Income Support and Housing Benefit and can then find their own accommodation. Asylum seekers who do not qualify for benefits but who may be supported under the terms of the National Assistance Act 1948 or the Children Act 1989 are supported by local authorities under the terms of that legislation. The Home Office currently has no direct role in providing support and is consequently not aware of the information sought. The Government plan a fundamental reform of the asylum and immigration laws to remove cash benefits and more strictly control where asylum seekers live.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of Slovakia are currently being detained in the UK as illegal immigrants; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the last three years. [64256]
748W
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants at Dover Ferry Port have been refused entry and removed from the UK within seven days of arrival in each of the last 12 months. [64253]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe available information on the numbers of persons removed or departing voluntarily within 7 days of being issued with a notice of illegal entry by the South East Ports Surveillance Team at Dover, between 1 July 1997 and 30 June 1998 is: 38 persons in July 1997; 38 in August 1997; 19 in September 1997; 23 in October 1997; 11 in November 1997; 23 in December 1997; 8 in January 1998; 5 in February 1998; 13 in March 1998; 12 in April 1998; 6 in May 1998; and 7 in June 1998. The data are provisional.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants at Harwich Ferry Port have been granted political asylum in each of the last 12 months. [64252]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe available information is that no more than two persons who had been issued with notice of illegal entry by immigration officials at Harwich were granted asylum in the 12 months from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998. The data are provisional.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants at(a) Newhaven, (b) Plymouth, (c) Poole and (d) Portsmouth ferry ports have been granted political asylum in each of the last 12 months. [64237]
§ Mr. Mike O'Brien[holding answer 16 December 1998]: The available information is that no persons issued with notice of illegal entry at Newhaven, Plymouth, Poole or Portsmouth were granted asylum in the 12 months from 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants who arrived at Poole Ferry Port are currently being detained; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the last six months. [64254]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe available information is that, as at 15 December 1998, no more than two persons who had been served with a notice of illegal entry by immigration officials at Poole were detained solely under Immigration Act powers. Information relating to the previous six months could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.