HC Deb 22 October 1987 vol 120 cc843-4W
Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received for political asylum in each year since 1979; which countries were involved; how many were granted; and how many are still outstanding.

Season 1986–87 Season 1987–88
Charged Paid Charged Paid
Club £ £ £ £
Arsenal 160,581.23 160,581.23 22,375.62 22,375.62
Brentford 31,095.05 31,095.05 7,603.89 4,393.86
Charlton 74,500.35 74,500.35 16,063.84 16,063.84
Chelsea 142,615.45 142,615.45 41,861.16 24,081.93
Crystal Palace 44,755.58 44,755.58 9,777.52 5,827.72
Fulham 34,814.48 34,814.48 10,024.90 5,932.01
Leyton Orient 14,225.96 14,225.96 5,079.42 3,481.45
Millwall 43,658.14 43,658.14 13,133.97 10,496.07

Mr. Hurd

Information on applications, grants and cases outstanding by nationality for 1979 to 1984 was published in tables 5A-5F of Home Office statistical bulletin "Refugee Statistics, United Kingdom, 1985" (issue 12/86). The corresponding figures for 1985 (which have been revised since the issue of that bulletin) and 1986 were published in tables 6 and 7 of the corresponding bulletin for 1986 (issue 13/87).

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for political asylum have died in the United Kingdom since 1979 whilst their applications were being considered.

Mr. Renton

This information is not available. There were over 28,000 asylum applications between 1979 and 1986 and the overwhelming majority of applicants were either already here, having been admitted in another category, or were granted temporary admission on arrival. Since in these circumstances the death of an applicant might well not come to the attention of the Home Office at all, or only sometime after it had taken place, it would be impracticable to keep records.

Mr. Tony Banks

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts are made to monitor the subsequent fate of applicants for political refugee status refused by his Department.

Mr. Hurd

There is no obligation under the UN convention on refugees to monitor unsuccessful applicants for refugee status returned abroad. However, such decisions would be taken only after the most careful consideration of the facts in each case together with information and views available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, British posts abroad and international agencies—especially the office of the UN High Commission for Refugees—specialising in refugee matters. Refusal of refugee status does not automatically result in removal: many applicants in practice qualify to remain under some other head.