HC Deb 24 May 2000 vol 350 cc492-4W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) public and (b) private sector accommodation providers have been contracted to provide accommodation for asylum seekers in (i) the North West region, (ii) Pendle, (iii) Burnley, (iv) Rossendale, (v) Blackburn with Darwen and (vi) Hyndburn; and how many units are to be provided in each location. [123032]

Mrs. Roche

The accommodation contracts which have been awarded do not require that property be provided in a specific geographical location. To date, a total of 1,189 bedspaces have been provided in the North West Region by four private sector providers. The bedspaces include 80 in Nelson (Pendle) and a further 88 in Burnley. There are no bedspaces in Blackburn and Darwin. Nor are there any recorded in Rossendale or Hyndburn.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the last five years, how many people were recorded as being detained who had sought asylum at some stage, broken down by stage of application and immigration status; at which institutions these individuals were detained; what was the age range and nationality of those detained; and if he will make a statement. [123163]

Mrs. Roche

The information requested, on numbers of asylum applicants detained in each of the last five years, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 30 December 19983 and 4 January 19993 who had sought asylum at some stage, by stage of application and immigration status
Stage of application Port Illegal entrants Subject to deportation action Total
Awaiting initial decision 125 295 4 424
Awaiting result of appeal 127 42 11 180
Awaiting result of further challenge or documentation for removal4 45 77 15 137
Total 297 414 30 741
1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.
2These figures are approximate because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period.
3After entry figures obtained at 4 January 1999. Port figures obtained at 30 December 1998.
4Includes those persons awaiting the result of a further appeal/other challenge or awaiting removal pending documentation.

Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 30 December 19983 and 4 January 19993 who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality
Nationality Total
Nigeria 82
India 79
Albania 54
Pakistan 50
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 38
Sri Lanka 38
Romania 35
Algeria 32
China 29
Poland 29
Lithuania 26
Turkey 20
Ghana 18
Ukraine 12
Bangladesh 11
Sierra Leone 10
Kenya 9
Iraq 8
Bulgaria 7
Gambia 7
Somalia 7
Egypt 6
Iran 6
Uganda 6
Afghanistan 5
Ivory Coast 5
Jamaica 4
Palestine 4
Russia 4
Columbia 3
Congo 3
Croatia 3
Czech Republic 3
Latvia 3
Liberia 3
Morocco 3
Angola 2
Cyprus 2
Democratic Republic of Congo 2
Libya 2
South Africa 2
Tanzania 2
Thailand 2
Togo 2
Nationality doubtful 41
Others 22
Total 741

The available information, relating to a snapshot of asylum applicants detained solely under Immigration Act powers as at 30 December 1998 for port applicants and 4 January 1999 for in-country applicants, by stage of application and immigration status, and by nationality, is given in the tables.

1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

2These figures are approximate because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period.

3Port figures obtained at 30 December 1998. After entry figures obtained at 4 January 1999.