§ David DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been in receipt of National Asylum Support Service support in each year since its inception. [177090]
§ Mr. Browne[holding answer 8 June 2004]: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) assumed responsibility for the support of asylum seekers on 3 April 2000. The following table shows the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) that have been in receipt of National Asylum Support Service support as at the end of each year since its inception. Information in respect of the number of persons supported by NASS during a given year is not available.
Information on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS is published in the quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, available from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
Asylum seekers supported by NASS1,2 by type of support As at the end In receipt of subsistence
only support
Supported in NASS
accommodation
December 2000 8,870 13,530 December 2001 25,310 40,325 December 2002 37,815 54,045 December 2003 30,360 49,760 March 2004 (Quarter 1, 2004) 27,635 48,610 1Including dependants. 2All figures are rounded to the nearest 5.