§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number, to the latest available date, of applications for political asylum, from 385W all sources, awaiting decision; and what were the comparable figures for the comparable period of each of the last three years.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 19 February 1992]: Information is given in the table:
Number of asylum applications1 outstanding Date Total As at: 31 December 1988 6,500 31 December 1989 10,500 31 December 19902 27,200 30 September 1991 2 3 59,300 1 Estimated figures, excluding dependants. 2 Provisional figures. 3 Corresponding information for 31 December 1991 is not yet available.