Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 9 March 1995)

§ Mr. Fisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people seeking asylum in Britain have applied for(a) a writ of habeas corpus and (b) a judicial review of their case while in detention in the last 12 months.

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
During the 12 months to 31 January 1995, 221 asylum applicants sought judicial review of their cases. No statistics of asylum applicants seeking a writ of habeas corpus are maintained. Separate statistics are also not maintained of the numbers of asylum applicants seeking judicial review of their cases while in detention.

§ Mr. Fisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people seeking asylum in 1993–94 absconded.
310W

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
The records do not distinguish between asylum seekers and others who absconded from detention in 1993 and 1994 and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information on the number of asylum seekers who failed to comply with the terms on which they were granted temporary admission in 1993 is not available. However, a special exercise relating to 1994 identified 677 people, who had claimed asylum at some stage, as having failed to comply with their terms of temporary admission.

§ Mr. Llwyd
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) Sri Lankan and (b) Turkish nationals applied for asylum status in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many asylum seekers were deported in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many (a) Sri Lankan and (b) Turkish asylum seekers were deported in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement;
(4) how many people applied for asylum status in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
In 1994, a total of 32,830 applications for asylum were received in the United Kingdom. Of these, 2,350 were from Sri Lankan nationals and 2,045 from Turkish nationals.
The available figures for departures relating to those refused asylum or exceptional leave to remain in the country are for those removed or who embarked voluntarily after deportation or illegal entry action had commenced against them. Out of an estimated total of 2,110 departures in 1994, 130 were Turkish nationals and 45 were Sri Lankan nationals.
Information on applications for asylum for 1993 and earlier years is published in table 2.2 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1993", issue 17/94. Information on removals and voluntary departures is published in table 9.1 of the same publication. Information on removals prior to 1992 is not available. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

§ Mr. Fisher
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people have(a) applied for and (b) been accepted for asylum in the United Kingdom in the past 12 months;
(2) how many people applying for asylum in the United Kingdom in 1994–95 were given exceptional leave to remain;
(3) how many people (a) have sought and (b) were granted asylum in the United kingdom in 1994–95.

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
During 1994, 32,830 applications for asylum, excluding dependants, were received in the United Kingdom. Some 20,990 decisions on asylum applications were taken during the year, of which 825 cases were granted asylum and 3,660 were refused asylum but granted exceptional leave to remain.
The latest month for which data are available is January 1995. During this period, 3,570 applications for asylum were received and 2,450 applications were decided. Of these decisions, 130 cases were granted asylum and 460 cases were refused asylum but granted exceptional leave to remain.