§ Mr. GapesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Ms. Hoey) of 15 June,Official Report, column 376, if he will provide comparable information for the periods (a) I October 1990 to 31 March 1991 and (b) 1 October 1991 to 31 March 1992; and what changes in policy with regard to asylum decisions there have been since April 1991.
§ Mr. Charles WardleInformation on decisions on asylum applications taken in the periods I October 1990 to 31 March 1991 and 1 October 1991 to 31 March 1992 is given in the table.
There have been no changes in policy in making decisions: applications continue to be determined according to article 1 of the 1951 United Nations refugees convention. Procedural measures were introduced in
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Air support unit Type of helicopter Owner Operator Maintenance Pilotage Estimated cost 1992–93 £000s West Mercia and Staffordshire MBB BO 105 DB Veritair Ltd. Veritair Ltd. Veritair Ltd. Veritair Ltd. 570 Devon and Cornwall MBB BO 105 DBS4 Devon and Cornwall Police Authority Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Aeromega Helicopters 516 Dyfed Powys Aerospatiale AS 355N Dyfed Powys Police Authority Dyfed Powys Police McAlpine Helicopters Dyfed Powys Police Authority 295 Essex Aerospatiale AS 355 F1 Aeromega Ltd. Aeromega Ltd. Aeromega Ltd. Aeromega Ltd. 455 Greater Manchester Aerospatiale AS 355 F2 Greater Manchester Police Greater Manchester Police McAlpine Helicopters Operational Support Services Ltd. 466 Merseyside Aerospatiale AS 355 Merseyside Police Authority Operational Support Services Ltd. McAlpine Helicopters Operational Support Services Ltd. 487 Metropolitan 3 x Bell 222 Metropolitan Police Metropolitan Police Metropolitan Police Bristow Helicopters 1,800 Northumbria Aerospatiale AS 355 F1 Police Aviation Services Police Aviation Services Police Aviation Services Police Aviation Services 800 November 1991 to require all undocumented applicants to attend an interview to establish identity, and to reduce other opportunities for fraud.
Decisions1 on asylum applications, excluding dependants October 1990 to 31 March 1991 21 October 1991 to 31 March 1992 Granted asylum 350 250 Granted exceptional leave 1,435 2,035 Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination of case 510 1,165 Refused on safe third country grounds 320 250 Refused under paragraph 101 of the Immigration Rules4 5 — 4,730 1 Provisional figures rounded to nearest 5. 2 Figures may understate because of delays in recording. 3 Figure for 1 January 1991–31 March 1991 only. These refusals for 1 October 1990–31 December 1990 are included in "Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination of case". 4 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitations to interview to establish identity. 5 Separate figures only available from 1 December 1991. Prior to this, these refusals are included in "Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination of case".