HC Deb 10 January 1995 vol 252 cc92-3W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what medical services are available to asylum seekers and others held in detention under immigration laws; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholas Baker

Detainees in immigration detention centres and Prison Service establishments have access on a daily basis to a doctor. There is also a nurse present daily at the Harmondsworth and Campsfield house detention centres. A detainee who requires further medical attention may be transferred to a prison or outside hospital.

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum have been received from citizens of republics of the former Yugoslavia for each of the years 1992, 1993 and 1994; how many have been agreed; how many refused; and how many are still awaiting a decision.

Mr. Nicholas Baker

Information on the number of applications for asylum received from nationals of the former Yugoslavia, and decisions made, for the years 1992, 1993 and until the end of November 1994 is given in the table. As at 30 November 1994, an estimated 6,200 applications for asylum from former Yugoslays were outstanding.

In addition to consideration of asylum applications, the Government have, under arrangements announced in November 1992 and June 1993, offered to receive 1,000 particularly vulnerable individuals from the former Yugoslavia and those close dependants, an estimated 4,000 people in all. As at 9 January 1995, 836 particularly vulnerable individuals and 1,134 dependants had arrived under these arrangements. Prior to this, 68 sick and wounded ex-detainees from Bosnia arrived in September 1992.

Decisions1 on applications1 received for asylum from nationals of the former Yugoslavia in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1992 to end-November 1994
Number of principal applicants
1992 1993 71994
Asylum applications2 5,635 1,830 1,255
Decisions (2)(3) 130 175 1,655
Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum * 25
Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain4 * 55 1,180
Refused asylum and ELR - after full consideration 10 350
Refused under para. 180F5 65 80 70
Refused on safe third country grounds6 60 30 25
1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5, with'*' = 1 or 2.
2 Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.
3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same year.
4 Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.
5 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).
6 Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
7 Figures up to end-November 1994.