§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan Tamils have been detained under the Immigration Act powers since 1 July 1983; for what length of time they were held; how many of them expressed an unwillingness to return to Sri Lanka for fear of their safety in Sri Lanka; and of these how many have subsequently been removed or deported.
§ Mr. WaddingtonInformation is not readily available in the precise form requested. Between 1 July 1983 and 25 January 1984, 23 Sri Lankan nationals have been detained as illegal entrants or under deportation provisions. Eleven have been detained for less than one month, four for between one and three months and eight for more than three months. Seventeen expressed a fear of return to Sri Lanka, of whom two have made voluntary departures and one has been deported. Other cases remain under consideration.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department since July 1983 how many Sri Lankan Tamils have now sought leave to enter the United Kingdom on exceptional grounds due to the civil disorder in their country; of these how many have been allowed in and how many have now been refused leave to enter and deported; of these applicants, how many have been detained; and what has been the maximum length of time of any such detention.
§ Mr. WaddingtonI regret that this information is not available in the form requested. Between 1 July to 30 November 1983—the latest date for which figures are available—14,400 Sri Lankan nationals were admitted to the United Kingdom, and 204 were refused leave to enter and removed, not necessarily to Sri Lanka.
Precise figures of the number of Sri Lankan nationals detained after seeking leave to enter are not readily available, but since 1 July 1983 approximately 70 Sri Lankans have been detained at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. One person was detained for 25 days; the remainder were detained for seven days or less.