§ 12. Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are awaiting a final decision on their application; and what the average waiting time for a decision was over the last 12 months. [57058]
§ Beverley HughesThere were 35,500 asylum applications, excluding dependants, awaiting an initial decision on 31 March 2002. This number relates to the number of cases, i.e. the number of principal applicants.
The average time between application and initial decision was 11 months for initial decisions made in 2001–02. It was 17 months in 1996.
§ 17. Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he proposes on the criteria for admission to the UK of asylum seekers. [57063]
§ Beverley HughesAs a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the United Kingdom has an obligation to consider all applications for asylum made in this country.
§ Linda PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if asylum seekers whose appeal against a refusal of support fails will be able to ask for a judicial review of this decision. [59998]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonI have been asked to reply.
Asylum seekers who have been refused support by the National Asylum Support Service have a right of appeal to the Asylum Support Adjudicators. If their appeal is unsuccessful, they can apply for a judicial review of the adjudicator's decision.
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§ Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of those seeking asylum were convicted of criminal offences in each of the past five years. [57263]
§ Beverley HughesI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I provided to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 20 May 2002,Official Report, column 74W.
§ Tony BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's criteria will be for the allocation of permanent addresses to those asylum seekers awarded leave to remain while residing in an asylum accommodation centre. [58343]
§ Beverley HughesI refer the hon. Member to the answer the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle), gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) on 9 May 2002,Official Report, column 329W.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are estimated to have entered Britain from France on freight trains in the weeks of(a) 1 March 2001, (b) 11 November 2001, (c) 17 February 2002 and (d) 14 April 2002; and if he will re-enter the bilateral agreement with France on security arrangements near the entrance to the channel tunnel. [R] [58746]
§ Beverley HughesIt is not possible to establish precisely how many asylum seekers have entered the United Kingdom after travelling through the channel tunnel on freight trains. Some illegal entrants do not claim asylum on arrival. Some illegal entrants are detected inland and cannot be attributed to a particular port of entry and some claim to use the channel tunnel but have in fact entered by a different route.
Information on the number of illegal entrants who have arrived in the United Kingdom after travelling on freight trains via the channel tunnel is not held centrally. However, local provisional management information is collated on a monthly basis although is not yet available for 2002. The locally collated figures for the two months in 2001 including these periods are as follows: 150 (March 2001), 288 (November 2001).
Security arrangements near the entrance to the channel tunnel have not been subject to any bilateral agreement with France. We have repeatedly stressed to SNCF and all levels of the French Government the need for rapid security improvements. We are monitoring the situation and we will take further concerted action until the overall policing and security levels are adequate. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) has made clear that addressing the problem of cross-channel asylum seekers in its totality will be a priority for discussions with the new French Government after their elections.
§ Mrs. EllmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the management of Landmark and Inn on the Park in Everton, Liverpool in housing asylum seekers. [58613]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 23 May 2002]: The National Asylum Support Service's (NASS) housing management team carry out regular inspections of the two 792W properties to ensure that the accommodation provider is compliant in its contract with NASS. These inspections are to check on the provider's housing management policies, procedures and systems. In addition, residents are regularly interviewed to find out whether the standards of housing management are being maintained and if the complaints procedure is operating in accordance with the contract.
The NASS contract manager is in continuous monitoring contact with the accommodation provider to ensure overall compliance with all terms of the contract.
§ Mrs. EllmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the performance of NASS in relation to its monitoring of contracts for asylum seekers in Liverpool. [58614]
§ Beverley HughesAny assessment regarding the performance of the contractors used by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) is overseen by the head of the Procurement Section, who reports to the director of NASS. NASS contract managers monitor the performance of accommodation providers against their contracts across the country. The work of NASS is subject to the normal management, audit and complaints procedures of that directorate.
As part of the Home Office, NASS is open to scrutiny by the National Audit Office and, through Ministers, by the Public Accounts Committee.
§ Linda PerhamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances asylum seekers applying for accommodation can exercise choice over the(a) type and (b) location of their accommodation. [59996]
§ Beverley HughesAs a general rule the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) allocates accommodation on a no choice basis. Asylum seekers can, as part of their application for support, put forward reasons why they should not be dispersed or, if they are to be dispersed why they should be sent to a particular location. Any factors put forward will be taken into account. But no guarantees can be given that a request to be located in a particular area will be met. This will depend on a number of factors including availability of suitable accommodation.