§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are residing in the Portsmouth area; how many have been placed in the Portsmouth area in the last three months; and if he will make a statement. [104237]
§ Beverley HughesThis information is not available in the form requested. The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the UK is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the UK either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or are supporting themselves.
As at the end of December 2002, the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in NASS accommodation in Portsmouth was 340 and the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) receiving subsistence only support in Portsmouth was 351
From grant claims sent to the Home Office by local authorities, as at the end of December 2002, there were 85 single asylum seekers and 25 asylum seeker families being supported by local authorities in Portsmouth.
The number of asylum seekers dispersed by NASS to Portsmouth over the past three months is not available.
Statistics on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS in each local authority and Government region are available on the Home Office's Immigration and Asylum Statistics website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.htnril.1
1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest five.