§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children applied for asylum within the UK in each year since 1997, broken down by country of origin. [91992]
§ Beverley HughesReliable information on the entry routes of unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC), including when UASCs first enter the UK, is not available. However, information on the nationality of UASC applicants who applied at port and in-country between 1997 and 2001, inclusive, is given in the table. Annual figures for 2002 are not yet available.
Information on asylum applications from unaccompanied children is published annually. The next annual publication will be available later this year.
Information on asylum applications and initial decisions is published quarterly. The next publication will present data for the final quarter of 2002, and will be available from 28 February 2003 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html.
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Unaccompanied1,2,3children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom by nationality, 1997 to 2001 1997 1998 Nationality Total Applied at port Applied in country Total Applied at port Applied in country Albania 39 15 24 49 33 16 Czech Republic 2 2 — 6 6 — FRY 119 — 119 1,529 259 1,270 Macedonia — — — 1 1 — Poland 18 18 — 44 44 — Romania 32 3 29 68 5 63 Russia 2 — 2 2 1 1 Turkey 48 47 1 107 100 7 Ukraine — — — 2 — 2 Other Former USSR 27 9 18 36 15 21 Other Former Yugo. 107 66 41 23 2 21 Europe other 15 15 — 9 9 — Europe total 409 175 234 1,876 475 1,401 Colombia 26 25 1 9 9 — Ecuador 4 4 — 5 4 1 Jamaica 1 1 — 4 4 — Americas other 2 2 — 2 1 1 Americas total 33 32 1 20 18 2 Algeria 21 7 14 50 10 40 Angola 12 8 4 10 9 1 Burundi 3 — 3 6 4 2 Congo 2 1 1 1 — 1 Dem. Rep. Congo 27 16 11 19 9 10 Eritrea 45 20 25 91 33 58 Ethiopia 23 9 14 66 38 28 Gambia — — — — — — Ghana 1 1 — 2 2 — Ivory Coast — — — 1 — 1 Kenya 9 7 2 23 17 6 Nigeria 18 8 10 53 34 19 Rwanda 7 2 5 13 7 6 Sierra Leone 14 8 6 23 11 12 Somalia 158 122 36 153 88 65 Sudan 3 2 1 4 4 — Tanzania 1 1 — 3 2 1 Uganda 5 1 4 9 4 5 Zimbabwe 1 1 — — — — Africa other 18 12 6 8 3 5 Africa total 368 226 142 535 275 260 Iran 7 6 1 8 6 2 Iraq 20 17 3 30 26 4 Middle East other 12 7 5 7 5 2 Middle East total 39 30 9 45 37 8 Afghanistan 109 101 8 124 108 16 Bangladesh 3 — 3 2 — 2 China 78 49 29 301 69 232 India 6 6 — 9 9 — Nepal — — — — — — Pakistan 4 3 1 12 11 1 Sri Lanka 40 36 4 91 69 22 Asia other 4 4 — 10 — 10 Asia total 244 199 45 549 266 283 Nationality not known 9 9 — 12 12 — Grand total 1,102 671 431 3,037 1,083 1,954
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1999 2000 Nationality Total Applied at port Applied in country Total Applied at port Applied in country Albania 126 116 10 94 25 69 Czech Republic 29 29 — 18 18 — FRY 1,522 188 1,334 666 70 596 Macedonia — — — — — — Poland 47 47 — 13 13 — Romania 86 1 85 40 8 32
1999 2000 Nationality Total Applied at port Applied in country Total Applied at port Applied in country Russia 3 — 3 2 — 2 Turkey 116 107 9 153 136 17 Ukraine 1 — 1 4 1 3 Other Former USSR 26 20 6 24 15 9 Other Former Yugo. 32 20 12 36 1 35 Europe other 8 8 — 3 2 1 Europe total 1,996 536 1,460 1,053 289 764 Colombia 18 16 2 5 6 — Ecuador 13 12 1 7 6 1 Jamaica 6 6 — 3 3 — Americas other 3 3 — 1 1 — Americas total 40 37 3 16 15 1 Algeria 12 5 7 23 9 14 Angola 42 24 18 102 34 68 Burundi 12 1 11 21 10 11 Congo 7 5 2 12 4 8 Dem. Rep. Congo 33 28 5 47 35 12 Eritrea 93 49 44 85 34 51 Ethiopia 54 31 23 62 25 37 Gambia — — — — — — Ghana 1 — 1 10 9 1 Ivory Coast 1 1 — 5 2 3 Kenya 12 7 5 8 5 3 Nigeria 45 38 7 24 20 4 Rwanda 35 11 24 49 5 44 Sierra Leone 65 57 8 74 60 14 Somalia 189 156 33 177 99 78 Sudan 6 5 1 9 8 1 Tanzania 1 1 — 3 2 1 Uganda 10 — 10 26 1 25 Zimbabwe 6 6 — 34 32 2 Africa other 8 8 — 28 23 5 Africa total 632 433 199 799 417 382 Iran 14 13 1 65 50 15 Iraq 58 52 6 112 86 26 Middle East other 16 14 2 14 10 4 Middle East total 88 79 9 191 146 45 Afghanistan 213 194 19 300 264 36 Bangladesh 4 3 1 4 1 3 China 166 44 122 117 58 59 India 13 11 2 14 13 1 Nepal — — — 1 — 1 Pakistan 19 15 4 25 19 6 Sri Lanka 127 104 23 170 142 28 Asia other 10 1 9 24 11 13 Asia total 552 372 180 655 508 147 Nationality not known 41 41 — 19 19 — Grand total 3,349 1,498 1,851 2,733 1,394 1,339
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20014 Nationality Total Applied at port Applied in country Albania 85 10 75 Czech Republic 22 22 — FRY 477 19 458 Macedonia 99 4 95 Poland 23 23 — Romania 49 16 33 Russia 4 1 3 Turkey 95 83 12 Ukraine 2 1 1 Other Former USSR 48 14 34 Other Former Yugo. 79 2 77 Europe other — — — Europe total 983 195 788
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20014 Nationality Total Applied at port Applied in country Colombia 7 5 2 Ecuador 4 3 1 Jamaica 2 — 2 Americas other 7 4 3 Americas total 20 12 8 Algeria 20 3 17 Angola 147 32 115 Burundi 20 7 13 Congo 30 10 20 Dem. Rep. Congo 82 28 54 Eritrea 111 27 84 Ethiopia 141 23 118
20014 Nationality Total Applied at port Applied in country Gambia 2 1 1 Ghana 4 3 1 Ivory Coast 6 — 6 Kenya 15 6 9 Nigeria 37 28 9 Rwanda 38 4 34 Sierra Leone 129 80 49 Somalia 198 57 141 Sudan 6 3 3 Tanzania 1 — 1 Uganda 47 3 44 Zimbabwe 35 31 4 Africa other 48 16 32 Africa total 1,117 362 755 Iran 23 18 5 Iraq 182 129 53 Middle East other 20 12 8 Middle East total 225 159 66 Afghanistan 673 620 53 Bangladesh 14 1 13 China 137 84 53 India 19 16 3 Nepal 2 — 2 Pakistan 25 18 7 Sri Lanka 138 102 36 Asia other 92 54 38 Asia total 1,100 895 205 Nationality not known 24 24 — Grand total 3,469 1,647 1,822 1Unaccompanied at the point of their arrival, and not known to be joining a close relative in the United Kingdom. 2May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices between January 1999 and March 2001. 3Figures exclude disputed age cases. 4Provisional figures.