Asylum (Hansard, 13 December 1990)

§ Mr. Darling
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the average length of time taken to determine applications for asylum made(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) at posts overseas.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
[holding answer II December 1990]: Information is given in the following table.

Estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases decided in the third quarter of 1990

Months

(a) Applications made in the United Kingdom¹ 13.5

(b) Applications made at British posts overseas, and referred² to the Home Office for decision 14

¹ At ports or after entry.

² Excludes certain applications by nationals of Afghanistan and Somalia to the British High Commission in, respectively, New Delhi and Dhaka, which are being processed locally. Information on the average decision time for these cases is not currently available centrally.

§ Mr. Darling
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each month since September 1989 to the nearest available date how many applications made within the United Kingdom for asylum were made(a) by applicants in the United Kingdom with leave, (b) by overstayers and (c) by alleged illegal entrants.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
[holding answer 12 December 1990]: Information is given in the table. Reliable estimates of the status of applicants after May 1990 are not yet available.
493W

Applications¹² for asylum in the United Kingdom made after entry, by status of principal applicant September 1989 to May 1990

1989 1990

September October November December January February March April May

Status of principal applicant at time of application

Within existing leave 535 610 420 515 600 410 440 500 475

Overstayers³ 60 70 60 40 65 75 80 80 115

Illegal entrant 50 30 50 45 85 30 50 95 105

Information not available 80 90 50 75 150 170 185 65 80

Total 720 800 580 670 900 685 760 735 775

¹ Provisonal figures: those for 1990 may understate because of delays in recording. Figures rounded to nearest 5.

²Including dependants applying at the same time, or subsequently to date.

³ Including those who were subject to deportation action as an overstayer or on other grounds.

Estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases decided in the third quarter of 1990
	Months
(a) Applications made in the United Kingdom¹	13.5
(b) Applications made at British posts overseas, and referred² to the Home Office for decision	14
¹ At ports or after entry.
² Excludes certain applications by nationals of Afghanistan and Somalia to the British High Commission in, respectively, New Delhi and Dhaka, which are being processed locally. Information on the average decision time for these cases is not currently available centrally.

Applications¹² for asylum in the United Kingdom made after entry, by status of principal applicant September 1989 to May 1990
	1989	1990
	September	October	November	December	January	February	March	April	May
Status of principal applicant at time of application
Within existing leave	535	610	420	515	600	410	440	500	475
Overstayers³	60	70	60	40	65	75	80	80	115
Illegal entrant	50	30	50	45	85	30	50	95	105
Information not available	80	90	50	75	150	170	185	65	80
Total	720	800	580	670	900	685	760	735	775
¹ Provisonal figures: those for 1990 may understate because of delays in recording. Figures rounded to nearest 5.
²Including dependants applying at the same time, or subsequently to date.
³ Including those who were subject to deportation action as an overstayer or on other grounds.