§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Deparment how many people in his Department deal with immigration and asylum issues, broken down by section; and what the function of each section is. [128755]
§ Beverley HughesThe number of full-time equivalent staff in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate by business area, at 30 June 2003 was:
Number Immigration Service-(including border controls and removals) 6,500 Asylum support, asylum casework and appeals 2,830 Managed Migration (applications for leave to remain, nationality and work permits) 1,690 Non-operational (includes policy development and corporate services) 1,880
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance is given to successful asylum applicants to help them integrate within their new community. [129108]
§ Beverley HughesOur strategy "Full and Equal Citizens", which we will be reviewing shortly, sets out the Government's cross-departmental strategy for the integration of refugees. It is monitored by the National Refugee Integration Forum, which I chair. In addition to the work of other Departments as set out in the strategy, the Home Office itself helps fund a number of community development programmes being taken forward by the leading national and regional refugee organisations. In addition, we fund small community groups working with refugees through the Refugee Community Development Fund. The Challenge Fund and the European Refugee Fund have also been established on the basis of providing a carefully evaluated programme of projects to identify what does work in integration.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been(a) refused and (b) granted asylum since March 2003. [129473]
§ Beverley HughesThe table shows the outcomes of initial decisions made on applicants aged under-18 at the time of their decision. These figures exclude dependants, and are based on the claimed age of applicants. The figures will overstate the true number of initial decisions since some applicants aged 18 or over claim to be younger than that in their application. Initial decisions may relate to applications made in earlier periods.
799W
Initial decisions outcomes for asylum applicants claiming to be aged under-18 at time of initial decision1,2,3,4 Principal applicants (cases) 2002 Q1 2003 (January to March) Q2 2003 (April to June) Total initial decisions 11,200 3,085 1,690 Granted asylum 960 210 85 Granted exceptional leave 6,620 1,835 n/a
Initial decisions outcomes for asylum applicants claiming to be aged under-18 at time of initial decision1,2,3,4 Principal applicants (cases) 2002 Q1 2003 (January to March) Q2 2003 (April to June) .Granted humanitarian protection n/a n/a 10 Granted discretionary leave n/a n/a 925 Refused 3,625 1,040 670 1Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
2Excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
3Figures may overstate because some applicants aged 18 or over may claim to be younger on leaving their country of origin.
4Data are provisional.
Information on the number and outcomes of initial decisions is published quarterly on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ immigration l.html
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Turkish citizens applied for asylum in the UK in 2001; and how many were successful in their application. [129479]
§ Beverley Hughes3,695 nationals of Turkey applied for asylum in the United Kingdom in 2001 (excluding dependants). In 2001, there were 7,825 initial decisions made on asylum applications from Turkish nationals, 210 grants of asylum, 275 grants of exceptional leave to remain (ELR), and 7,340 refusals. Data on initial decisions in 2001 may relate to applications made in earlier years.
During 2001, 1,840 appeals against Home Office decisions on Turkish asylum claims were determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA). Of these, 485 were allowed, 1,295 were dismissed and 60 cases were withdrawn. Appeal outcomes in 2001 may relate to initial decisions made in earlier years. The figures exclude any further appeals (Immigration Appeals Tribunal, Court of Appeal, judicial review, House of Lords).
Information on the number of asylum applications and initial decisions is published quarterly on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html