§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers in each of the past three years have been granted permission to work in advance of their having waited six months or more for a decision on their applications.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe information requested is not separately identifiable in the statistics.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions have been made by his Department to provide translators, and translation facilities to asylum seekers detained under the Immigration Act 1971.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerAll asylum seekers, whether detained or not, are interviewed in a language which they understand, using an interpreter if necessary, to assess their claim. A large pool of interpreters is available.
Information for detainees in detention centres is provided in a large number of languages. This includes advice on how to seek free legal assistance. Interpreters are called in to assist when there are difficulties in communicating with detainees.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers detained under the Immigration Act 1971 have(a) committed suicide or (b) attempted suicide during the past five years.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe information available does not distinguish between asylum seekers and others in detention.
One suicide of a person detained under powers in the Immigration Act 1971 has occurred in the past five years. This was in the Harmondsworth detention centre in 1990.
Records of the number of attempted suicides are not held.
§ Mr. ParryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions have been made by his Department for asylum seekers who have been detained to contest the reasons for detention at an independent and automatic review hearing; and what assessment he has made of the application of article 5 of the European convention on human rights to such provisions.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerAnyone refused asylum may appeal under the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 and may apply for bail to the independent appellate authorities at any time while an appeal is pending. Bail may also be sought from the appellate authorities by any passenger who has been detained for longer than seven days pending further examination. These statutory provisions are supplemented by the general power of the 959W courts to grant a writ of habeas corpus and to grant bail in any case before them.
I am satisfied that detention under the Immigration Act 1971 does not breach the United Kingdom's obligations under article 5 of the European convention on human rights.