HC Deb 01 February 1994 vol 236 cc644-5W
Mr. Maclennan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers held in detention on 1 January,(a) by nationality, (b) by length of detention and (c) by immigration status at the time of application.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The available information shows that 622 asylum seekers were held in detention on 21 January; information relating to 1 January is not available.

The breakdown by nationality is as follows:

Number
Afghanistan 1
Algeria 44
Angola 17
Bangladesh 7
Benin 1
Bermuda 1
Brazil 2
Bulgaria 1
Burma 1
Cameroon 2
China 9
Columbia 5
Congo 2
Cyprus 8
Djibouti 1
Egypt 3
Ethiopia 14
Eritrea 2
Ghana 74
Guinea-Bissau 2
Haiti 1
India 106
Iran 2
Ivory Coast 12
Jamaica 1
Kenya 20
Lebanon 1
Liberia 4
Libya 2
Lithuania 1
Malawi 1
Morocco 1
Niger 4
Nigeria 67
Pakistan 20
Peru 1
Number
Poland 1
Romania 7
Sierra Leone 7
Singapore 1
Somalia 16
South Africa 2
Sri Lanka 22
Sudan 5
Tanzania 3
Tongo 1
Tunisia 2
Turkey 53
Uganda 2
Ex-USSR 4
Ex-Yugoslavia 9
Zaire 34
Zambia 1
Zimbabwe 1
Nationality Doubtful 1
Unrecorded 9
Total 622

The breakdown by length of detention is as follows:

Length of detention Number
Less than 1 month 193
1–2 months 216
2–6 months 133
6–12 months 64
12 months + 16
Total 622

Of the 622 asylum seekers held in detention, 341 had been detained at the port of entry and 228 were discovered to thave entered unlawfully. They would not, therefore, have had current leave at the time of their application. The remaining 53 detainees are the subjects of deportation action. Of these, 42 are known to have been overstayers at the time of their asylum applications. The status of the remaining 11, who are to be deported on conducive grounds, or on the recommendation of a court, is not recorded.