§ Mr. BlairTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have applied for asylum; how many have had their applications accepted; how many have been granted exceptional leave to remain; and how many have been returned to safe third countries, giving the figures in each case since 1985, by year.
§ Mr. Charles WardleInformation on asylum applications and decisions in 1985–90 is given in table 1.2 of Home
1. Summary Tables Table 1.2 Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, decisions and percentages, 1981 to 1991 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 11989 1 21990 1 21991 Excluding dependants Applications received3 — — — 2,905 4,389 4,266 4,256 3,998 11,640 22,000 44,840 Decisions Total — — — 1,431 2,635 2,983 2,432 2,702 6,955 4,015 4,685 Grants of asylum4 — — — 453 574 348 266 628 2,210 900 420 Grants of exceptional leave — — — 631 1,559 2,102 1,531 1,578 3,860 2,400 1,860 Refusals5 — — — 347 502 533 636 496 890 710 2,410 Percentage of total decisions Total — — — 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Grant of asylum — — — 32 22 12 11 23 32 22 9 Grants of exceptional leave — — — 44 59 70 63 58 55 60 40 Refusals5 — — — 24 19 18 26 18 13 18 51 Applications withdrawn — — — 175 201 164 200 281 350 360 500 Including dependants6 Applications received3 2,425 4,223 4,296 4,171 6,156 5,714 5,863 5,739 16,776 30,315 — Decisions Total 2,358 2,942 2,950 2,011 3,802 4,045 3,479 3,888 10,270 6,265 — Grants of asylum4 1,473 1,727 1,185 689 915 543 464 975 3,335 1,510 — Grants of exceptional leave 278 311 939 802 2,156 2,815 2,229 2,289 5,840 3,900 — Refusals5 607 904 826 520 731 687 786 624 1,095 850 — Percentage of total decisions Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 — Grants of asylum 62 59 40 34 24 13 13 25 32 24 — Grants of exceptional leave 12 11 32 40 57 70 64 59 57 62 — Refusals5 26 31 28 26 19 17 23 16 11 14 — Applications withdrawn 211 234 217 227 261 209 252 360 435 405 — 1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5, percentages rounded to the nearest whole per cent. 21990 figures may understate and 1991 decision figures are likely to be incomplete because of delays in recording. 3See footnotes 2 and 3 to Table 2.1. 4Excluding South East Asian refugees: see Tables 3.1 and 9.1. 5Includes refusals on third country grounds, and those under paragraph 101 of the Immigration Rules: see footnote 1 to Table 3.3. 6Including dependants who applied with the principal applicant and those who arrived subsequently but before the principal application was decided.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances he uses his discretion to allow asylum applications in the country of the applicant; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees defines a refugee as someone who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such a fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country. Where a person falls within this definition and has such close ties with the United Kingdom as to make it the most appropriate country of refuge for them, we are prepared to grant entry clearance for the purpose of their applying for asylum in the United Kingdom. Entry clearance for this purpose would not normally be granted to a person who remained within their own country and did not, therefore, fall within the definition of a refugee.
768WOffice statistical bulletin issue 12/92 "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1990–91", a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for refusals on safe third country grounds are not separately identifiable prior to 1991. For information for 1991 and the first three quarters of 1992 I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 20 October 1992, at columns 261–62.