Asylum (Hansard, 28 October 1992)

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what target date he has set his Department to clear the backlog of asylum applications.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
No specific date has been set. The increase in the number of asylum division staff to 500, together with streamlined administrative procedures, is already having a considerable impact on the current backlog. Further progress will be influenced by the rate of new applications and the impact on procedures of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 July,Official Report, column 775, to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) (a) which concepts used in the convention are the subject of common interpretation and (b) what is the common interpretation referred to.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
Article 1 of the Dublin convention of 15 June 1990—Cm 1623—defines for the purposes of the convention the meaning of: an alien; an applicaation for asylum; an examination of an appliction for asylum; a residence permit; an entry visa; and a transit visa.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 July,Official Report, column 775, to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) whether any definition has been reached in respect of first host country.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
No. This matter is still under discussion between member states.

§ Mr. Allen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 July,Official Report, column 775, to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) (a) to which third countries it is intended to extend the system of the convention by means of parallel convention and (b) with which countries negotiations have commenced in respect of that convention.

§ Mr. Charles Wardle
Formal negotiations on extending the provisions of the Dublin convention will not be undertaken until the convention has been ratified by all member states. Extension to third countries will be by the unanimous agreement of the member states.