HC Deb 13 March 1987 vol 112 c310W
Mr. Lawler

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons arriving in the United Kingdom have claimed asylum since 15 October 1986, compared with the equivalent period for the previous two years.

Mr. Waddington

Statistics are not available in the precise form requested. However in the three months from December 1986, to February 1987, a total of over 800 people claimed asylum on arriving at a port in the United Kingdom. In the equivalent period in 1985–86 fewer than 100 people, and in 1984–85 fewer than 200 people claimed asylum at the ports.