Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 18 May 1995)

§ 18. Mr. Gerrard
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the delays in making decisions on applications for asylum. [23564]

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
The Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 has reduced significantly the average time taken to decide applications made since the Act came into force. But delays persist as a result of a large and continuing increase in the number of asylum applications. Earlier this year, my right hon. and learned Friend announced substantial additional resources to speed up the asylum determination and appeal system. We hope to announce shortly proposals for further improvements.

§ 25. Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on the number of asylum seekers held in custody. [23571]

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
Since 1 January 1995 we have received 97 letters on this subject from hon. Members writing on behalf of their constituents and 47 from members of the public writing direct. I have also received a letter, dated 2 May, from the Refugee Legal Centre.
359W

§ 26. Mr. Eric Clarke
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers in the last year have been detained for over six months. [23572]

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
The information is not available in the form requested. On 9 May 1995, a total of 118 persons who had at some time claimed asylum had been in detention for six months or more. Of these, 114 had their application refused.

Mr. Robert Ainsworth
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the current establishment of the third country unit within the Home Office's immigration and nationality department; and if he will make a statement on the function of this unit. [24826]

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
The third country unit is part of the asylum division. It consists of one higher executive officer, four executive officers and one administrative assistant. It is responsible for cases where an asylum applicant has arrived from a safe third country to which he may be returned without substantive consideration of his claim in accordance with paragraphs 337 and 345 of the immigration rules.

Mr. Robert Ainsworth
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been removed to Norway on safe third country grounds since 26 July 1993; and how many so removed have been returned to the United Kingdom by the Norwegian authorities. [24827]

Notifiable recorded by the police by police force area and offence group

England and Wales 1994 Number of offences

Police force area Total Violence against the person Sexual offences Robbery Burglary Theft and handling stolen goods Fraud and Forgery Criminal damage Other offences Theft of vehicle Theft from vehicle Burglary in a dwelling Burglary in another building

Avon and Somerset 167,975 6,791 1,091 1,714 37,397 93,164 4,316 22,532 970 21,938 34,890 18,993 18,404

Bedfordshire 55,661 1,978 426 582 12,881 27,271 1,904 7,214 405 7,414 10,341 6,124 6,757

Cambridgeshire 61,732 3,030 421 242 14,099 33,942 1,460 8,087 451 5,792 10,335 6,206 7,893

Cheshire 74,926 3,245 543 278 19,248 34,961 2,625 12,449 1,577 7,451 11,662 9,363 9,885

Cleveland 81,732 2,359 236 466 18,428 42,931 1,287 15,621 404 12,007 10,902 12,380 6,048

Cumbria 42,492 2,153 250 74 10,066 20,259 1,127 8,170 393 2,555 7,586 4,156 5,910

Derbyshire 85,915 3,984 493 421 24,049 38,526 1,678 15,995 769 8,564 14,190 10,112 13,937

Devon and Cornwall 109,396 4,603 892 403 30,266 54,843 3,258 13,780 1,351 6,884 21,367 15,123 15,143

Dorset 55,590 1,885 443 146 9,395 31,456 3,151 8,244 870 3,564 10,111 5,740 3,655

Durham 65,029 2,665 510 149 12,524 33,591 2,575 12,259 756 7,989 8,995 7,709 4,815

Essex 106,025 4,505 549 423 23,639 55,314 2,688 17,968 939 8,346 17,352 8,606 15,033

Glouccstershire 61,198 2,140 1,006 319 15,844 31,765 2,677 6,850 597 4,528 13,671 7,685 8,159

Greater Manchester 339,074 9,281 1,228 5,361 91,077 156,296 8,549 64,874 2,408 49,661 51,908 54,915 36,162

Hampshire 141,271 5,704 1,056 585 29,600 74,988 4,026 23,779 1,533 9,571 26,936 12,829 16,771

Hertfordshire 54,887 1,996 305 264 12,100 28,788 1,307 9,781 346 5,301 12,782 4,480 7,620

Humberside 135,826 5,054 695 547 43,965 62,544 3,010 19,402 609 15,023 19,356 20,127 23,838

Kent 155,345 7,128 1,099 635 26,871 86,022 3,830 28,001 1,759 16,677 25,006 16,944 9,927

Lancashire 127,302 3,232 502 546 27,151 63,958 3,486 27,275 1,152 11,038 21,399 17,990 9,161

Leicestershire 99,150 4,855 617 1,158 26,109 48,279 3,326 14,238 568 10,785 17,006 15,574 10,535

Lincolnshire 47,767 2,319 393 119 11,221 23,110 1,158 8,733 714 3,345 5,906 6,239 4,982

London, City of 5,272 125 23 29 675 3,640 422 267 91 79 541 37 638

Merseyside 136,825 7,678 808 2,035 33,042 65,342 3,012 23,286 1,622 15,308 16,357 20,479 12,563

Metropolitan Police 849,976 46,292 6,929 25,518 161,174 399,545 32,591 168,363 9,564 57,859 126,276 103,988 57,186

Norfolk 56,075 2,187 370 186 13,931 29,412 1,481 7,882 626 3,614 10,179 5,081 8,850

Northamptonshire 57,607 2,498 367 306 14,521 27,199 1,559 10,701 456 6,536 9,194 6,942 7,579

Northumbria 204,057 6,185 746 1,213 57,207 82,215 2,946 52,553 992 25,008 23,151 29,121 28,086

North Yorkshire 62,153 2,082 263 187 16,694 31,358 1,059 10,031 479 5,235 10,876 7,152 9,542

Nottinghamshire 152,592 7,718 1,141 1,193 34,639 71,974 3,857 31,301 769 16,010 19,072 21,735 12,904

South Yorkshire 157,089 5,027 664 1,062 51,242 69,998 2,885 24,859 1,352 21,692 23,304 25,563 25,679

Staffordshire 93,179 6,090 551 416 26,736 41,772 2,244 14,925 445 9,638 16,320 12,637 14,099

Suffolk 39,393 2,140 392 118 7,778 19,624 1,544 7,137 660 1,938 5,517 3,200 4,578

Surrey 46,782 2,715 463 165 10,158 24,046 1,724 6,899 612 3,612 8,263 4,657 5,501

Sussex 107,105 3,420 747 589 24,271 56,214 2,860 17,759 1,245 6,701 18,286 13,024 11,247

Thames Valley 186,268 5,564 870 1,130 38,254 103,974 6,115 28,763 1,598 19,618 38,460 21,187 17,067

Warwickshire 42,592 1,411 288 136 11,040 21,797 1,091 6,483 346 5,004 8,363 4,548 6,492

West Mercia 83,948 3,437 473 284 16,738 45,438 1,545 15,332 701 8,258 13,866 8,610 8,128

West Midlands 315,755 10,407 1,354 7,028 90,637 142,522 8,134 53,738 1,935 40,347 49,714 48,241 42,396

West Yorkshire 289,719 9,414 1,504 2,968 87,391 134,406 5,625 45,720 2,691 34,917 44,815 55,306 32,085

Wiltshire 38,147 2,495 364 137 8,152 19,193 1,142 6,144 520 2,406 6,210 4,032 4,120

Dyfed-Powys 21,602 2,192 250 41 3,491 9,667 631 4,816 514 1,110 2,372 1,396 2,095

Gwent 38,431 2,533 270 79 6,639 19,841 1,160 7,047 862 3,538 5,895 3,296 3,343

North Wales 43,451 2,612 352 100 10,215 20,611 1,103 7,917 541 2,494 7,372 3,314 6,901

South Wales 157,748 6,141 550 419 37,405 77,227 3,677 30,952 1,377 25,372 26,666 14,802 22,603

England and Wales 5,251,059 219,270 32,494 59,771 1,257,960 2,559,023 145,845 928,127 48,569 534,727 842,770 679,643 578,317

360W

§ Mr. Nicholas Baker
Four persons who had been refused asylum in the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds have been removed to Norway since 16 July 1993. Of these, one has been returned to the United Kingdom.

Notifiable recorded by the police by police force area and offence group
England and Wales 1994	Number of offences
Police force area	Total	Violence against the person	Sexual offences	Robbery	Burglary	Theft and handling stolen goods	Fraud and Forgery	Criminal damage	Other offences	Theft of vehicle	Theft from vehicle	Burglary in a dwelling	Burglary in another building
Avon and Somerset	167,975	6,791	1,091	1,714	37,397	93,164	4,316	22,532	970	21,938	34,890	18,993	18,404
Bedfordshire	55,661	1,978	426	582	12,881	27,271	1,904	7,214	405	7,414	10,341	6,124	6,757
Cambridgeshire	61,732	3,030	421	242	14,099	33,942	1,460	8,087	451	5,792	10,335	6,206	7,893
Cheshire	74,926	3,245	543	278	19,248	34,961	2,625	12,449	1,577	7,451	11,662	9,363	9,885
Cleveland	81,732	2,359	236	466	18,428	42,931	1,287	15,621	404	12,007	10,902	12,380	6,048
Cumbria	42,492	2,153	250	74	10,066	20,259	1,127	8,170	393	2,555	7,586	4,156	5,910
Derbyshire	85,915	3,984	493	421	24,049	38,526	1,678	15,995	769	8,564	14,190	10,112	13,937
Devon and Cornwall	109,396	4,603	892	403	30,266	54,843	3,258	13,780	1,351	6,884	21,367	15,123	15,143
Dorset	55,590	1,885	443	146	9,395	31,456	3,151	8,244	870	3,564	10,111	5,740	3,655
Durham	65,029	2,665	510	149	12,524	33,591	2,575	12,259	756	7,989	8,995	7,709	4,815
Essex	106,025	4,505	549	423	23,639	55,314	2,688	17,968	939	8,346	17,352	8,606	15,033
Glouccstershire	61,198	2,140	1,006	319	15,844	31,765	2,677	6,850	597	4,528	13,671	7,685	8,159
Greater Manchester	339,074	9,281	1,228	5,361	91,077	156,296	8,549	64,874	2,408	49,661	51,908	54,915	36,162
Hampshire	141,271	5,704	1,056	585	29,600	74,988	4,026	23,779	1,533	9,571	26,936	12,829	16,771
Hertfordshire	54,887	1,996	305	264	12,100	28,788	1,307	9,781	346	5,301	12,782	4,480	7,620
Humberside	135,826	5,054	695	547	43,965	62,544	3,010	19,402	609	15,023	19,356	20,127	23,838
Kent	155,345	7,128	1,099	635	26,871	86,022	3,830	28,001	1,759	16,677	25,006	16,944	9,927
Lancashire	127,302	3,232	502	546	27,151	63,958	3,486	27,275	1,152	11,038	21,399	17,990	9,161
Leicestershire	99,150	4,855	617	1,158	26,109	48,279	3,326	14,238	568	10,785	17,006	15,574	10,535
Lincolnshire	47,767	2,319	393	119	11,221	23,110	1,158	8,733	714	3,345	5,906	6,239	4,982
London, City of	5,272	125	23	29	675	3,640	422	267	91	79	541	37	638
Merseyside	136,825	7,678	808	2,035	33,042	65,342	3,012	23,286	1,622	15,308	16,357	20,479	12,563
Metropolitan Police	849,976	46,292	6,929	25,518	161,174	399,545	32,591	168,363	9,564	57,859	126,276	103,988	57,186
Norfolk	56,075	2,187	370	186	13,931	29,412	1,481	7,882	626	3,614	10,179	5,081	8,850
Northamptonshire	57,607	2,498	367	306	14,521	27,199	1,559	10,701	456	6,536	9,194	6,942	7,579
Northumbria	204,057	6,185	746	1,213	57,207	82,215	2,946	52,553	992	25,008	23,151	29,121	28,086
North Yorkshire	62,153	2,082	263	187	16,694	31,358	1,059	10,031	479	5,235	10,876	7,152	9,542
Nottinghamshire	152,592	7,718	1,141	1,193	34,639	71,974	3,857	31,301	769	16,010	19,072	21,735	12,904
South Yorkshire	157,089	5,027	664	1,062	51,242	69,998	2,885	24,859	1,352	21,692	23,304	25,563	25,679
Staffordshire	93,179	6,090	551	416	26,736	41,772	2,244	14,925	445	9,638	16,320	12,637	14,099
Suffolk	39,393	2,140	392	118	7,778	19,624	1,544	7,137	660	1,938	5,517	3,200	4,578
Surrey	46,782	2,715	463	165	10,158	24,046	1,724	6,899	612	3,612	8,263	4,657	5,501
Sussex	107,105	3,420	747	589	24,271	56,214	2,860	17,759	1,245	6,701	18,286	13,024	11,247
Thames Valley	186,268	5,564	870	1,130	38,254	103,974	6,115	28,763	1,598	19,618	38,460	21,187	17,067
Warwickshire	42,592	1,411	288	136	11,040	21,797	1,091	6,483	346	5,004	8,363	4,548	6,492
West Mercia	83,948	3,437	473	284	16,738	45,438	1,545	15,332	701	8,258	13,866	8,610	8,128
West Midlands	315,755	10,407	1,354	7,028	90,637	142,522	8,134	53,738	1,935	40,347	49,714	48,241	42,396
West Yorkshire	289,719	9,414	1,504	2,968	87,391	134,406	5,625	45,720	2,691	34,917	44,815	55,306	32,085
Wiltshire	38,147	2,495	364	137	8,152	19,193	1,142	6,144	520	2,406	6,210	4,032	4,120
Dyfed-Powys	21,602	2,192	250	41	3,491	9,667	631	4,816	514	1,110	2,372	1,396	2,095
Gwent	38,431	2,533	270	79	6,639	19,841	1,160	7,047	862	3,538	5,895	3,296	3,343
North Wales	43,451	2,612	352	100	10,215	20,611	1,103	7,917	541	2,494	7,372	3,314	6,901
South Wales	157,748	6,141	550	419	37,405	77,227	3,677	30,952	1,377	25,372	26,666	14,802	22,603
England and Wales	5,251,059	219,270	32,494	59,771	1,257,960	2,559,023	145,845	928,127	48,569	534,727	842,770	679,643	578,317