§ Mrs. Helen JacksonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) male and (b) female refugees, from former Yugoslavia have been refused access into the United Kingdom over the past six months;
(2) how many (a) male and (b) remale refugees from former Yugoslavia, have been received into each of the countries of the European Community over the past six months.
§ Mr. Charles WardleIn the six months July to December 1992 inclusive, around 4,600 nationals of the74W former Yugoslavia (excluding dependants) applied for asylum in the United Kingdom. Except for certain cases refused on safe third country grounds and under paragraph 101 of the immigration rules—detailed in the table—all these applicants are being allowed to stay while their application is under consideration. Comprehensive information on the gender of these principal applicants is not yet available but provisional data suggest that about 60 per cent. were male and 40 per cent. female.
In addition, as I announced to the House on 30 November 1992, we are willing to accept 1,000 ex-detainees from Bosnia and other parts of the former Yugoslavia, together with their dependants, totalling perhaps 4,000 in all. These ex-detainees are being identified for us by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; those identified so far are all male but are being accompanied, or will be joined, by their wives and children.
For information on total applications to other EC members states, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 18 February (column 297). The information is not available by gender.
Refusals of applications for asylum in the United Kingdom by nationals of the former Yugoslavia, excluding dependants, by gender, July to December 1992 Total Male Female Refused asylum and exceptional leave after determination of the asylum claim — — — Refused on safe third country grounds1 2 13 11 2 Refused under paragraph 101 of immigration rules3 40 n/a n/a 1 Refused on grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country. 2 Breakdown by gender is of those removed on safe third country grounds, which corresponds in total, in this period, to those refused. A breakdown of those refused is not directly available. 3 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. n/a not available.