§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful appeals there were against a refusal of British citizenship in each of the last five years. [109607]
§ Beverley HughesThere is no statutory right of appeal against a refusal to grant British citizenship.
Very few individuals seek to challenge the refusal to grant British citizenship by way of application for judicial review—an estimated average of one case per year over the past 10 years. No figures are kept on the number of unsuccessful applicants who make informal representations—either in person or via an MP or other intermediary—against refusal. It is estimated that less than a quarter of those refused citizenship subsequently make representations against the refusal. The outcome of such challenges varies from case to case.
99,825 decisions on applications for British citizenship were made in 2001, of which 9,530 (10 per cent.) were refusals. 88,995 decisions on applications for British citizenship were made in 2000, of which 6,785 (8 per cent.) were refusals.
Information on decisions of applications for British citizenship are published regularly in "Persons Granted British Citizenship United Kingdom, 2001", a copy of which is available from the Library. It is planned that information relating to decisions made in 2002 will be published at the end of August 2003.