§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been taken into care as a result of paragraph 1 of schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and whether the Home Department have ever referred the possible placing of a child into care to any local authority social services authority. [142325]
§ Beverley HughesNo children have been taken into care as a result of the operation of paragraph 1 of Schedule 3; nor have the Home Office referred the possible placing of a child into care to any local authority Social Services authority in connection with this legislation.
§ Mr. DawsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers with children are facing removal from the United Kingdom. [143802]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 15 December 2003]The information requested is unavailable, partly because it is not possible to determine the number of unsuccessful asylum seekers who leave the United Kingdom voluntarily without informing the Immigration Service of their departure.
Information on asylum applications, decisions, appeals and removals is published regularly on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl. html.
Mr. MatinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) asylum cases and (b) immigration cases were heard by (i) the Court of Appeal and (ii) the House of Lords in the latest year for which figures are available. [143845]
753W
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 15 December 2003]During the period from 1 October 2002 to 30 September 2003, nine immigration cases were heard by the Court of Appeal (five asylum cases and four non-asylum) and four cases were heard by the House of Lords (three asylum cases and one non-asylum).
Information on these cases can be obtained from the website: http://www.lawreports.co.uk
§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy concerning the best interests of children of asylum seekers with respect to(a) removal centres and (b) other circumstances for which he has jurisdiction. [142717]
§ Beverley HughesThe best interests of children of asylum seekers will always be a key consideration in all dealings the Immigration and Nationality Directorate has with asylum-seeking families.
With respect to removal centres, rule 11 (3) of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 requires removal centre operators to provide everything reasonably necessary for detained persons' protection, safety and well-being and for the maintenance and care of infants and children.
Children who are accommodated in a removal centre as part of a family group are not separated from their parents or siblings and so are able to receive familial comfort and emotional support. Provision is made to ensure that they are safe; they are able to eat well; they are accommodated in quiet, warm bedrooms; they are
Asylum Appeals: Further appeals to the Tribunal, decisions, and the outcome of Tribunal Hearings, excluding dependants, 1994 to 20021 Number of principal appellants 1998 1999 2000 2001 20022 Applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal3 Applications 10,910 8,635 6,020 15,540 25,600 Decisions 4 10,315 9,575 5,490 13,540 22,825 Appeals to the Tribunal3 Received 4 1,775 2,135 1,615 3,860 6,920 Determined 1,090 1,790 2,635 3,190 5,565 Outcome of Tribunal Hearings3 Allowed 4— — 815 475 620 Dismissed — — 1,385 1,140 2,015 Withdrawn — — 220 150 225 Remitted to adjudicators for further consideration — — 215 1,430 2,700 1 Figures rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding. 2 Provisional figures. 3 Figures based on data supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Decisions and determinations do not necessarily correspond to applications and appeals received in any given year. 4 Revised figures.
§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made by his Department asking for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and, of these, how many were granted leave. [142583]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 8 December 2003]The information requested is not available because data on the number of applications for leave to appeal to the754W occupied during the day; they have access to the fresh air, outside play areas, and are able to undertake physical exercise; they also have access to an excellent healthcare facility.
In the community, local authorities in the UK have duties towards all children in need, including the children of asylum seekers and failed asylum seekers.
§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made asking for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and of these, how many were granted leave. [142581]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 8 December 2003]Data on the number of appeals received and determined by the Immigration Appeals Tribunal, as well as the outcome from Tribunal hearings, in each of the last five years, are given in the following table. The latter data does not necessarily correspond to the number of applications for leave to appeal in any given year.
Information on how many applications for leave to appeal to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal were granted is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Statistics on appeals to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal are published annually. The latest publication, "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 2002", is available on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov. uk/rds/immigrationl. html.
Immigration Appeals Tribunal are not separately compiled in relation to whom the appeal is sought by and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The latest available data on total applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal and the outcomes from hearings at the Tribunal in each of the last five years are given in the following table. The table shows the total number of applications and decisions for leave to appeal 755W to the Tribunal, the number of appeals received and determined and the outcomes of Tribunal hearings broken down by appellant and Secretary of State. Decisions and determinations do not necessarily correspond to applications and appeals in any given year.
Asylum Appeals: Further appeals to the Tribunal, decisions, and the outcome of Tribunal Hearings, excluding dependants, 1994 to 20021 Number of principal appellants 1998 1999 2000 2001 20022 Applications for leave to appeal to the Tribunal3 Applications 10,910 8,635 6,020 15,540 25,600 Decisions 4 10,315 9,575 5,490 13,540 22,825 Appeals to the Tribunal3 Received 4 1,775 2,135 1,615 3,860 6,920 Determined 1,090 1,790 2,635 3,190 5,565 Outcome of Tribunal Hearings3 Allowed 4— — 815 475 620 Dismissed — — 1,385 1,140 2,015 Withdrawn — — 220 150 225 Remitted to adjudicators for further consideration — — 215 1,430 2,700 1 Figures rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding. 2 Provisional figures. 3 Figures based on data supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Decisions and determinations do not necessarily correspond to applications and appeals received in any given year. 4 Revised figures.
Outcome of Tribunal Hearings1 Number of principal appellants Appellant Allowed Secretary of State Dismissed Withdrawn Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn 1998 — — — — — — 1999 — — — — — — 2000 650 1,225 185 170 165 35 2001 315 1,020 125 160 120 25 20022 410 1,880 210 215 130 15 1 Figures supplied by the Presenting Officers Unit. Figures for October-December 1999 are based on data for November-December. 2 Provisional figures.
§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of families likely to be affected by Clause 7 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill. [143406]
§ Beverley HughesClause 7 will only affect failed asylum seekers and their families who refuse to take advantage of voluntary return arrangements, or to put themselves in a position to do so, without good cause. The precise number who have support stopped will depend upon the decisions made by individual families.