§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has discussed with his French counterpart the proposal of placing British officials in French cross-channel ports to assist in detecting clandestine immigrants coming to the UK via France; and if he will make a statement; [75444]
(2) when he last met his French counterpart to discuss improving the situation concerning clandestine immigrants coming to the UK via Cherbourg, St. Malo, Caen and Le Havre; and if he will make a statement. [75445]
§ Beverley HughesMy right hon. Friend the Home Secretary last met his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, on 26 September in Calais. Their discussions of measures to counter clandestine migration have concentrated for the most part on the Channel Tunnel and the port of Calais. However, the two Governments recognise that as the security of these two routes is tightened, clandestine illegal entrants may try to use other ports. On 26 September the two Ministers therefore discussed possibilities for extending UK Immigration Service presence to other French ports, as well as for posting of French officers to UK ports.
Table 1: Initial asylum decisions in the United Kingdom1,2, 1997 to 2001 Total Initial Decisions3 Cases considered under normal procedures4 Number of principal applicants Backlog clearance exercise5 Total Granted asylum % Granted ELR % Refused Total Granted asylum or ELR % Refused under backlog % 1997 36,045 36,045 11 9 80 — — — 1998 31,570 31,570 17 12 71 — — — 1999 33,720 21,305 36 12 52 12,415 90 10 2000 109,205 97,545 11 12 78 11,660 89 11 2001p 119.015 119.015 9 17 74 — — — Notes:
1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2.
2 Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.
3 Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
4 Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria.
5 Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
6 Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
P Figures for 2001 are provisional and subject to change.
Table 2: Outcome of Asylum Appeals determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, 1997–20011,2 Number of principal appellants Total determined Allowed % Dismissed % Withdrawn % 1997 21,090 6 86 8 1998 25,320 9 84 7 1999 19,460 27 57 16 2000 19,395 17 80 2 2001p 43,415 19 79 2 Notes:
1 Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest 5.
2 Appeals figures do not necessarily relate to initial decisions made in the same period.
p Figures for 2001 are provisional and subject to change.
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