Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 26 February 2001)

§ Ms Oona King
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set a target for the length of time the security services take to complete the security check on those applying for settlement in the UK. [150097]

§ Mrs. Roche
The Immigration and Nationality Directorate aims to deal with 70 per cent. of non-asylum applications within three weeks. Within that overall target, there are no specific targets for applications which may require security checks, and no plans at present to set such targets.

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning asylum seekers going without food because of problems with the administration of vouchers; and if he will make a statement. [150936]

§ Mrs. Roche
We have received a number of communications, by letter or telephone, concerning asylum seekers who have encountered difficulties in receiving their vouchers. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has set up a dedicated telephone inquiry service to enable asylum seekers in this position to register their position as quickly as possible. A special team within NASS ensures any difficulty is resolved as soon as possible.

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Deaths

Reported to a coroner where a post-mortem was held 126,398 126,184 123,015 124,356 124,780

of these

Where a coroner did not proceed to hold an inquest 104,151 104,321 100,679 101,165 100,884

Subject to a post-mortem but no cause of death found 413 461 582 695 738

Inquests

Resulting in verdict of unlawful killing¹ 217 169 165 142 165

Resulting in open verdicts¹ 2,257 2,151 2,319 2,571 2,497

Resulting in any other verdict¹ 22,030 21,694 22,171 23,049 23,731

Post-mortems

Performed for clinical purposes ²— ²— 3,614 3,527 3,474

¹ In a small number of cases, inquests will have been held without post-mortem examinations

² Data not available

	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Deaths
Reported to a coroner where a post-mortem was held	126,398	126,184	123,015	124,356	124,780
of these
Where a coroner did not proceed to hold an inquest	104,151	104,321	100,679	101,165	100,884
Subject to a post-mortem but no cause of death found	413	461	582	695	738
Inquests
Resulting in verdict of unlawful killing¹	217	169	165	142	165
Resulting in open verdicts¹	2,257	2,151	2,319	2,571	2,497
Resulting in any other verdict¹	22,030	21,694	22,171	23,049	23,731
Post-mortems
Performed for clinical purposes	²—	²—	3,614	3,527	3,474
¹ In a small number of cases, inquests will have been held without post-mortem examinations
² Data not available