HC Deb 14 March 1994 vol 239 cc500-1W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will allow asylum seekers in Britain to be joined by family members who have been given asylum in other European countries.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Close family members are entitled to join refugees granted asylum in this country. The same arrangements would not be justified for asylum seekers before it has been established whether they qualify for refugee status and have a long-term future here.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time that asylum seekers are held in detention; and what are the figures for each year since 1990, including provisional figures for 1994 to date.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The information requested is not available.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who have been given exceptional leave to remain have not had their exceptional leave to remain status renewed in each year since 1991 and in 1994 to date.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Precise figures are not available but, in each of the three years 1991–93, the number of asylum applications refused an extension of exceptional leave does not exceed a figure of the order of 15. Information for 1994 to date is not yet available.

Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 February,Official Report, column 151 to show many of those asylum seekers held in detention who had applied (a) before 26 July 1993 and (b) after 26 July 1993 had been in detention for the whole of their stay in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 February,Official Report, column 151, how many of the asylum seekers currently detained are being held in ordinary prisons; how many of these are being held with people convicted on criminal charges; and how many of these are being held with people awaiting trial.

Mr. Charles Wardle

On 9 March 1994, 274 asylum seekers were detained in Prison Service establishments, including 82 at the Home Office holding centre, Haslar, which is used almost exclusively for immigration detainees.

At Haslar there are 14 convicted prisoners who undertake tasks connected with the running of the centre which the detainees cannot be required to do. The further details requested are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The general policy is not, however, to hold immigration detainees together with convicted inmates unless the detainees are themselves convicted prisoners or strict segregation would be to their disadvantage by preventing them from having access to facilities enjoyed by others.

Mr. Bayley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people seeking political asylum in the United Kingdom were detained(a) in hostels or detention centres, (b) in police custody, in hostels or detention centres, (b) in police custody, (c) in prisons and (d) in other places on 1 January and on 1 October, 1 July and 1 April 1993.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The information requested is not available.