HC Deb 03 November 1995 vol 265 cc510-1W
Mr. David Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimates he has made of the proportion of asylum seekers originating from(a) Sri Lanka and (b) Nigeria who reached the United Kingdom via a last point of departure in the European continent in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the practice of interrupted travel to the final destination; [40708]

(2) what proportion of applications for asylum from nationals of (a) Sri Lanka, (b) Nigeria and (c) Algeria are made by persons already resident in the United Kingdom as visitors, tourists and students; and if he will make a statement. [40707]

Mr. Kirkhope

The number of applications made by nationals of Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Algeria and the percentages of when the application was made is given in the table.

Information on the number of applications for asylum from people who reached the United Kingdom via another European country is not separately identifiable.

Miss Widdecombe

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 3 November 1995:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many female prisoners have (a) escaped from an establishment; (b) escaped from an escort; (c) attempted to escape from an establishment; (d) attempted to escape from an escort; (e) absconded from an establishment; and (f) absconded from an escort, in each of the last three years.

Escapes from establishment Escapes from escort1 Attempted escape from escort Attempted escape from escort Abscond from establishment
1 April 1992-31 March 1993 6 9 4 126
1 April 1993-31 March 1994 1 8 2 126
1 April 1994-31 March 1995 5 6 2 6 174
1 April 1995-30 September 1995 2 1 54
1 Includes escapes from the court escort service which would have beer, the responsibility of the police service in previous years (1 in 1993).

1. Figures for escapes from escort exclude recaptures within 15 minutes provided that no further offence has been committed.

2. Figures for attempted escapes and attempted escapes from escort include those recaptured within 15 minutes where no further offence was committed.