HC Deb 22 April 1994 vol 241 cc674-5W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum he has received from refugees from Burundi and Rwanda; how many have been granted; where applicants are being held; and how long the decision-making process takes.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Available information on applications and decisions in the period 1 January 1992 to 31 March 1994 is given in the table. Information for 1990 and 1991 is published in tables 4.1 and 4.2 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 19/93 "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1992", and for prior years in the corresponding tables in earlier volumes of this annual publication. A copy of this publication is in the Library of the House.

Information on the average decision time for decisions in recent months is not yet available.

At 19 April 1994, no asylum applicants from Burundi or Rwanda were held in detention.

1992 1993 1994 (January—March)
Recognised as refugee and granted asylum 4
Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave 3 4
Total refused of which: 14 2 4
Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration 3 4
Refused under para 180F of immigration rules3 11 2 4
Refused on safe third country grounds 4
1Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period.
2Figures for decisions in 1993 may understate because of delays in recording. Information on decisions in the period January-March 1994 is not yet available.
3 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity (para. 101 prior to 26 July 1993).
4 Not available.