HC Deb 16 May 1995 vol 260 cc184-9W
Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of the number of applications for asylum since 1 January by location of application. [23799]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

During the period 1 January 1995 to 30 April 1995, 12,720 applications were made for asylum in the United Kingdom. Of these, 3,910 were port applications and 8,810 were applications made after entry into the United Kingdom.

Decisions(1) on applications(1) received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1 January 1994 to 30 April 1995
Number of principal applicants
Total decisions2 Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave Total refused Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration Refused on safe third country grounds3 Refused under para. 340 of Immigration Rules4
1994
January 1,245 45 245 955 740 100 120
February 1,430 80 245 1,110 925 60 130
March 1,685 55 240 1,390 1,195 85 110
April 1,300 35 230 1,040 785 125 130
May 1,915 110 370 1,435 1,100 85 250
June 1,780 60 350 1,365 1,125 35 205
July 1,835 85 245 1,505 1,185 35 285
August 1,985 75 265 1,645 1,115 50 485
September 1,950 55 355 1,540 1,045 55 440
October 2,170 90 415 1,660 1,220 75 365
November 2,185 70 425 1,690 1,315 85 290
December 1,500 65 275 1,160 905 85 175
Total 20,990 825 3,660 16,500 12,655 865 2,985
1995
January 2,450 130 435 1,885 1,435 145 305
February 2,385 155 570 1,665 1,275 100 290
March 2,515 135 525 1,855 1,525 120 210
April 1,965 65 470 1,430 1,195 75 160
Total 9,315 480 2,000 6,830 5,425 440 965

Notes:

1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

2 Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

3 Refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from safe third country.

4 Refusals under para 340 (para 180F prior to 1 October 1994 and para 101 prior to 26 July 1993) of the Immigration Rules for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

Source:

S3 Division

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of the number of asylum seekers currently detained under Immigration Act powers by(a) nationality, (b) gender, (c) length of detention, (d) place of detention and (e) immigration status at the time of application. [23801]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

As at 10 May 1995, a total of 646 persons who had at some stage sought asylum were detained. This figure includes people awaiting the setting of directions for removal following refusal of the application, as well as those whose applications were under consideration or subject to appeal. Of this figures, 152 had been in detention less than one month, 166 between one and two months, 225 between two and six

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum have been determined in each month since 1 January 1994; for each month, in how many cases the applicant was granted asylum; in how many cases the applicant was granted exceptional leave to remain; in how many cases the applicant was refused under paragraph 340 of the immigration rules; and in how many cases the application was refused under paragraph 345 of the immigration rules. [23800]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

Information on decisions made on asylum applications, by month, since January 1994 is given in the table.

months, and 103 had been in detention longer than six months.

Information on the gender, immigration status, nationality and location of those detained, as at 10 May 1995, is provided in tables 1 to 3.

Table 1: Number of people detained on 10 May 1995 who had sought asylum, by immigration status and gender
Immigration Status Male Female Total
Port case 294 29 323
Illegal entrant case 253 16 269
Deportation case 49 5 54
Total 596 50 646

Table 2: Number of people detained on 10 May 1995 who had sought asylum, by nationality
Country Number
Albania 8
Algeria 65
Angola 6
Bangladesh 19
Cameroon 1
China 76
Colombia 8
Cyprus 7
Czech Republic 1
Dominica 1
Ecuador 3
Egypt 2
Eritrea 1
Ethiopia 1
Gambia 5
Georgia 5
Ghana 65
India 84
Iran 8
Ivory Coast 4
Jamaica 5
Kenya 3
Lebanon 3
Liberia 3
Libya 4
Mauritius 2
Morocco 9
Nigeria 108
Pakistan 29
Phillippines 1
Poland 3
Romania 7
Russia 5
Sierra Leone 5
Sri Lanka 20
South Africa 1
Sudan 5
Tanzania 1
Trinidad and Tobago 2
Tunisia 1
Turkey 30
Uganda 3
Former Yugoslavia 11
Zaire 10
Zambia 1
Nationality not known 4
Total 646

Table 3: Number of persons detained who have claimed asylum as at 10 May 1995, by place of detention
Place of detention Number detained
Prisons
HMP Haslar 93
HMP Rochester 36
HMP Winson Green 32
HMP Greenock 14
HMP Manchester 12
HMP Wormwood Scrubs 7
HMP Exeter 5
HMP Wandsworth 5
HMP Horfield, Bristol 4
HMP Belmarsh 3
HMP Brinsford 3
HMP Brixton 3
Other HMP Prisons 23

Table 3: Number of persons detained who have claimed asylum as at 10 May 1995 by places of detention
Place of detention Number detained
Other places of detention
Campsfield House 145
Harmondsworth 80
Police Cells 42
Gatwick Detention Centre 38
Dover Harbour Board 18
Queens Building 14
Newhaven 12
Stansted 8
Manchester Airport Detention Suite 4
Other1 45
Total 646
1 Includes Immigration Service detention centres, police cells and HM prisons

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been removed to the Netherlands on safe third country grounds since 26 July 1993, and how many of those removed have been returned to the United Kingdom by the Dutch authorities. [23802]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

Seventy-one persons who had been refused asylum in the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds have been removed to the Netherlands since 26 July 1993. Of these, 11 have been returned to the United Kingdom.

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown by nationality of the number of asylum seekers removed from the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds since 1 January. [23803]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

A list of nationalities removed from the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds is given in the table.

Table 1: Number of persons who had sought asylum who have been removed from the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds, by nationality, between 1 January—to 10 May 1995
Number
Algeria 18
Romania 11
China 9
Poland 8
Nigeria 6
Ghana 5
Afghanistan 4
Iran 4
Sri Lanka 4
Zaire 4
Lebanon 3
Pakistan 3
Somalia 3
Turkey 3
Bangladesh 2
Cameroon 2
Iraq 2
Ivory Coast 2
South Africa 2
Yugoslavia 2
Albania 1
Colombia 1

Table 1: Number of persons who had sought asylum who have been removed from the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds, by nationality, between 1 January—to 10 May 1995
Number
Ecuador 1
Eritrea 1
Ethiopia 1
Israel 1
Kenya 1
Liberia 1
Morocco 1
Russia 1
Rwanda 1
Uganda 1
Total 109

Mrs. Roche

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been removed to other countries in the last two years; to which countries they have been returned; and how many of those so removed have been returned to the United Kingdom by the authorities of those countries. [23804]

Mr. Nicholas Baker

A total of 824 persons who had been refused asylum were removed on safe third country grounds in 1993 and 1994. Information on the number of persons returned to specific countries and the number returned to the United Kingdom from these countries is not available for 1993 and 1994.