§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of Nigerian nationals who, over the last five years to date, have been granted(a) refugee status and (b) exceptional leave to remain by the United Kingdom authorities. [107]
§ Mr. KirkhopeIn the first 10 months of 1995, two Nigerians were granted asylum and three were refused asylum but granted exceptional leave to remain. Annual information prior to 1995 is published in tables 3.1 and 3.2 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1994", issue 15/95. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department following the suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth, when he intends to notify the Secretary of State for Social Security that Nigeria is a country undergoing significant upheaval for the purposes of enabling Nigerian nationals, whose application for political asylum in the United Kingdom is pending appeal, to a special adjudicator, to claim benefit; and if he will make a statement. [217]
§ Mr. KirkhopeThe situation in Nigeria is being closely monitored, but my right hon. and learned Friend does not at present consider that it would justify his issuing such a notification. Under the proposals on which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security has been consulting, benefit entitlement arising from a notification in respect of a country would lapse at the point where an asylum claim was refused and would not continue during any appeal.