§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many amendments were proposed to the 1991–92 Asylum Bill(a) by the Government and (b) by the Opposition: and what percentage was agreed to by the Committee.
§ Mr. Charles WardleIncluding new clauses, a total of 154 amendments to the Asylum Bill were tabled between its introduction and Third Reading. One hundred and fifteen were selected. Of these, six were Government amendments. No amendments were made during the Committee stage.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest monthly figure for the number of asylum applicants; and what was the comparable number for the same month in 1991.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe information is given in the table.
Applications1 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants September 1991 to September 1992 Applications 1991 September 3,525 October 4,375 November 3,790
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Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and decisions,1 2 3 by nationality, 1 April 1991–30 September 1992. Nationality Applications Decisions Granted asylum Granted exceptional leave Total refused Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination Refused on safe third country grounds Refused under para 101 of Immigration Rules4 Total Decisions EUROPE AND AMERICAS Bulgaria 390 * 5 45 30 — 15 55 Colombia 265 15 25 30 20 5 5 65 Romania 620 5 15 110 80 5 25 135 Turkey 2,685 305 730 520 135 75 310 1,555 USSR 375 15 30 25 10 5 5 65 Others 3,315 15 15 180 45 75 65 205 Total 7,650 350 820 910 320 165 425 2,080 AFRICA Angola 4,550 10 10 2,605 365 25 2,215 2,625 Congo 315 * — 180 30 5 150 185 Ethiopia 1,640 55 1,375 155 15 25 115 1,585 Ghana 2,930 10 30 965 245 30 685 1,005 Nigeria 655 * * 160 55 10 95 165 Somalia 2,445 45 1,910 295 15 60 220 2,250 Sudan 1,455 75 40 120 5 5 110 240 Togo/Ivory Coast 1,930 — — 965 25 5 935 965 Uganda 815 15 245 280 140 10 130 545 Zaire 6,260 10 10 3,470 665 120 2,690 3,495 Others 3,805 10 70 1,880 125 25 1,725 1,960 Total 26,805 310 3,695 11,080 1,685 320 9,075 15,085 MIDDLE EAST Iran 645 95 150 45 20 5 20 290 Iraq 1,160 125 265 40 10 10 20 430 Lebanon 520 15 170 55 30 15 10 245 Others 650 25 70 90 40 20 30 185 Total 2,970 260 650 230 100 50 80 1,145 ASIA China 665 25 55 30 15 — 20 115 India 2,600 * 515 1,160 780 75 300 1,675 Pakistan 3,565 5 400 980 505 10 265 1,390
Applications December 2,210 1992 January 2,165 February 1,420 March 1,595 April 1,440 May 1,370 June 1,615 July 2,180 August 1,790 September 2,590 1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish detailed information on asylum applicants to the United Kingdom in the past 18 months, which indicate the number of applications, their countries of origin, the number granted refugee status, exceptional leave to remain, refusals, and the nationalities of those refused.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe information is given in the table.
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Nationality Applications Decisions Granted asylum Granted exceptional leave Total refused Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination Refused on safe third country grounds Refused under para 101 of Immigration Rules4 Total Decisions Sri Lanka 3,805 45 2,940 90 15 30 45 3,075 Others 1,160 20 280 230 175 5 50 530 Total 11,795 100 4,205 2,495 1,695 120 670 6,795 Other and Nationality not recorded — 5 5 20 15 * — 30 Grand Total 49,225 1,030 9,375 14,730 3,815 660 10,260 25,135 1 Provisional figures, rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2. 2 Decision figures are likely to understate because of delays in recording. 3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period. 4 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to two invitations to interview to establish identity. These refusals are separately identifiable from 1 December 1991. Earlier refusals are included in the column "Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination".
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been returned to safe third countries under the provisions of the Dublin convention; and if he will publish a table of the nationalities of those removed from the United Kingdom, their countries of origin and the countries to which they were removed.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe Dublin convention will not come into force until it has been ratified by all EC member states.
Information on the total number of asylum applicants at ports removed on safe third country grounds in the period March to August 1992 is given in the table. The countries to which they were removed were other EC countries, Sweden, Austria, USA, Switzerland, Turkey, Guinea, Australia and Kenya. All decisions on third country removals are taken in the light of the circumstances of the individual case.
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Asylum applicants at ports removed on safe third country grounds, 1 March 1992 to 31 August 1992, by nationality Number Albania 1 Algeria 1 Angola 3 China 1 Colombia 3 Czechoslovakia 3 Ethiopia 4 Ghana 12 India 5 Iran 1 Iraq 2 Ivory Coast 3 Lebanon 4 Liberia 2 Nigeria 3 Pakistan 3 Romania 6 Sierra Leone 2 Somalia 13 South Africa 1 Sri Lanka 5 Sudan 1 Togo 1 Turkey 27 Uganda 2
Number USSR (former) 2 Yugoslavia (former) 29 Zaire 30 Other and nationality uncertain 5 Total 175
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum are outstanding; and if he will publish the same figure for each month for the past 36 months.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe readily available information is given in the table. The figures are maxima which overstate because of earlier under-recording of decisions.
Number of asylum applications, excluding dependants, outstanding1 Date Total As at: 31 December 1988 8,650 31 December 1989 12,240 31 December 1990 29,870 31 March 1991 40,120 30 June 1991 51,410 30 September 1991 61,260 31 December 1991 69,330 31 January 1992 69,420 29 February 1992 68,920 31 March 1992 67,950 30 April 1992 67,690 31 May 1992 69,480 30 June 1992 66,950 31 July 1992 65,910 31 August 1992 64,670 30 September 1992 64,330 1 Estimated figures, rounded to the nearest 10.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provide the latest statistics to update his answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 6 July,Official Report columns 41–42 on asylum application;
(2) if he will make a statement on the trends in grants of asylum, exceptional leave to remain and applications for asylum.
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§ Mr. Charles WardleThe information is given in the table.
Applications for asylum increased substantially between 1988 and 1991. The monthly rate halved in late
Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by location of application, and decisions1 1988 to 1992 Number of principal applicants Applications received Decisions1 Year Total applications Applied at port2 Applied in country3 Total decisions Granted asylum Granted exceptional leave Total refused Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination Refused on safe third country-grounds Refused under para. 101 of Immigration Rules4 Applications outstanding at end of quarter5 1988 3,998 858 3,140 2,702 628 1,578 496 496 N/a N/a 8,650 19896 11,640 6,200 5,440 6,955 2,210 3,860 890 890 N/a N/a 12,240 19906 7 22,000 9,005 13,000 4,015 900 2,400 710 710 N/a N/a 29,870 19916 7 44,840 9,030 35,815 5,965 505 2,230 3,240 2,185 270 785 69,330 19916 7 Quarter 1 11,790 3,490 8,300 1,435 155 910 375 350 20 N/a 40,120 Quarter 2 12,075 2,040 10,035 720 110 235 380 330 50 N/a 51,410 Quarter 3 10,600 1,970 8,630 845 105 265 480 415 60 N/a 61,260 Quarter 4 10,375 1,525 8,850 2,960 140 810 2,010 1,095 135 785 69,330 1992 Quarter 1 5,185 1,335 3,845 6,330 165 1,500 4,665 565 150 3,945 67,950 Quarter 2 4,425 1,160 3,265 5,225 135 1,755 3,335 495 150 2,695 66,950 Quarter 3 6,560 2,255 4,305 8,975 300 4,810 3,865 915 115 2,835 64,330 1 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period. 2 Figures include certain in-country applications made in illegal entrant cases. 3 In country figures include a small number of applications recorded as having been made overseas and referred to the Home Office for a decision. These cases may be under recorded. 4 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period. 5 Figures are maxima which overstate because of earlier under recording of decisions. Figures are approximate and rounded to the nearest 10. 6 In addition, certain applications by nationals of Afghanistan and Liberia to the British High Commissioners in New Delhi and Lagos, respectively, were processed locally. 7 Figures rounded to the nearest 5. 1990 application figures and 1991 decision figures may understate because of delays in recording. N/a—Not available.
§ Mr. Allen:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how long the average asylum application takes to determine;
(2) what is the latest figure for the average length of time taken to determine applications for asylum (a) as a whole, (b) for new applicants and (c) for applicants from the existing backlog.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe available information is of the estimated average length of time between the receipt of an asylum application and the decision, for cases which have been decided. For decisions in the period January to September 1992 as a whole, excluding those under paragraph 101 of the Immigration Rules for failure to provide evidence in support of the asylum claim, this average decision time was twenty and a half months. This figure reflects the recent increase in staffing which has enabled work to commence on the resolution of older and more complex cases.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the projected total number of asylum seekers expected for the whole of 1992 on the basis of current trends.
§ Mr. Charles WardleIt is not possible to provide a precise forecast in view of the uncertainties involved. In the first six months of 1992, asylum applications totalled 9,600. In the period January to September as a whole, 16,200 applications have been received.
262W1991 following measures to deter multiple and other fraudulent applications. The number of applications increased somewhat in the third quarter of 1992.
The recent increase in the number of decisions mainly reflects additional staff resources in the asylum division.