Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 16 January 2002)

§ Norman Baker
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of asylum seekers from Zimbabwe since 1 January 2000(a) have been granted asylum, (b) have been deported and (c) are awaiting determination of their case. [27527]

§ Angela Eagle
The number of Zimbabwean nationals who have applied for asylum since January 2000 and have subsequently been granted asylum or removed is not readily available, and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
There were 2,235 applications for asylum from Zimbabwe nationals from 1 January 2000 to 30 September 2001, inclusive. The number of asylum and Exceptional 359W Leave to Remain (ELR) grants made in the same period is shown in the table. However these initial decisions do not all relate to applications made in the same period. A proportion of applications which received an initial refusal result in an appeal being lodged.

Initial decisions^1,2,3January 2000-September 2001, nationals of Zimbabwe

Number Percentage of decisions⁴

Total initial decisions 2,035 —

Of which considered under normal procedures:

Granted asylum 85 4

Granted ELR 40 2

Refused 1,865 94

Of which considered under Backlog Clearance Exercise⁵:

Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria 35 89

Refused under backlog criteria 5 11

¹ Levels rounded to the nearest five, and are provisional. Excludes dependants.

² Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

³ Decisions figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in this period.

⁴ Percentages for cases considered under normal procedures and those within the backlog clearance exercise are calculated separately.

⁵ Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.

Comparable information on the numbers of Zimbabwean asylum seekers removed over the same period is not available.
The number of Zimbabweans who have applied for asylum since 1 January 2000 and are currently awaiting an initial decision on their asylum application, and the number awaiting the outcome of appeal determinations, is not available, and would be available only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case files.
Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and removals are published quarterly. The next publication will be available from 28 February 2002 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uklrds/irnmigrationl.html.

§ Mr. Peter Duncan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans are in place for accommodating future refugees from Zimbabwe. [27426]

§ Angela Eagle
Although an influx of individuals seeking asylum from Zimbabwe is not expected, contingency arrangements exist for responding to such a situation should it occur. These arrangements are being updated as necessary by the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate in liaison with relevant organisations.

Initial decisions^1,2,3January 2000-September 2001, nationals of Zimbabwe
	Number	Percentage of decisions⁴
Total initial decisions	2,035	—
Of which considered under normal procedures:
Granted asylum	85	4
Granted ELR	40	2
Refused	1,865	94
Of which considered under Backlog Clearance Exercise⁵:
Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria	35	89
Refused under backlog criteria	5	11
¹ Levels rounded to the nearest five, and are provisional. Excludes dependants.
² Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
³ Decisions figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in this period.
⁴ Percentages for cases considered under normal procedures and those within the backlog clearance exercise are calculated separately.
⁵ Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.