HC Deb 30 November 1995 vol 267 cc883-4W
22. Mr. Timms

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he takes of the likely safety of asylum applicants if returned to Sri Lanka when deciding such applications; and if he will make a statement. [1377]

Mr. Kirkhope

All applications for asylum, regardless of nationality, are carefully considered in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees. Each case is assessed on its merits taking account of all the circumstances, including conditions in the country of origin.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of in-country applications for asylum are made within(a) one week of the applicant entering the country, (b) two to three weeks of entering the country, (c) three to four weeks of entering the country, (d) two to six months of entering the country and (e) more than six months of entering the country; and if he will make a statement. [2348]

Mr. Kirkhope

[holding answer 29 November 1995]:Information regarding the length of time between arrival date and application date, for those who enter the United Kingdom as visitors but subsequently claim asylum, is given in the table.

Average time taken1 to apply for asylum by persons granted leave to enter the United Kingdom as visitors, January to September 1995
Period of time between arrival and application Percentage
0 to 2 weeks 27
2 to 4 weeks 10
1 to 2 months 10
2 to 6 months 27
over 6 months 26
Total 100
1 Estimated.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of applicants for asylum(a) excluding and (b) including dependants, for each calendar month from January 1990, with totals for each year. [3227]

Mr. Kirkhope

Annual figures for the number of asylum applications both excluding and including dependants for the years 1984 to 1994 are given in table 1.2 of Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom" issue 15/95, a copy of which can be found in the Library. Table 2.3 of this publication gives monthly figures for the number of principal applications in 1994 and the first quarter of 1995. Equivalent information for 1991 to 1993 is given in issues 12/92, 19/93 and 17/94 of the same publication which can also be found in the Library. Monthly application figures for years prior to 1991, and monthly application figures including dependants, are not available.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of persons who applied for political asylum who(a) were not admitted, (b) were admitted on a temporary basis, (c) had their applications refused, and (d) had their applications accepted, in each year between 1988 and 1994. [3142]

Mr. Kirkhope

[holding answer 28 November 1995]:Information is given in table 1.1 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1994", issue 15/95 on applications for asylum, split by those on arrival at a United Kingdom port of entry and those who applied "in country" after having been admitted to the United Kingdom for some reason under immigration rules, and on the number of decisions made on asylum applications, split by type of decision. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

Those applying for asylum on arrival at a United Kingdom port maybe granted temporary admission pending the outcome of their application or, depending on the individual circumstances of the case, detained. Separate information on this is not available.

Mr. Fraser

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for political asylum are currently undecided. [1365]

Miss Widdecombe

As at 31 October this year, there were 66,665 applications for asylum in the United Kingdom outstanding.

Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are currently being held in prisons; and at what annual cost to public funds. [2497]

Mr. Kirkhope

As at 21 November 1995, a total of 776 persons who had at some stage sought asylum were detained. Of these, 378 were detained in Prison Service establishments, including 253 at locations used almost exclusively for housing asylum detainees. These figures include people awaiting removal following refusal of their applications as well as those whose applications were under consideration or subject to appeal.

The Prison Service does not separate out costs according to the category of inmate but in 1993–94, the latest period for which published figures are available, the net operating cost per prisoner place in local prisons and remand centres was £21,400.

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