HC Deb 23 October 1995 vol 264 cc445-6W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankan Tamil(a) men and (b) women were being held in custody for immigration reasons as at 9 October. [37650]

Mr. Kirkhope

The available information on all Sri Lankan nationals is given in the table; no distinction is made in statistical records between Tamils and other Sri Lankans.

Sri Lankan nationals in detention under Immigration Act powers on 17 October 1995
Number of persons
Category of Person Men Women Total
Port Cases1 7 — 7
Persons subject to enforcement action2 16 — 16
1 Excluding any non-asylum port cases in detention for less than one month.
2 Illegal entrants and persons subject to deportation action.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum have been made by Sri Lankan Tamils during each of the last 12 months. [37645]

Mr. Kirkhope

The available information is given in the table; no distinction is made in statistical records between Tamils and other Sri Lankans. The total number of asylum applications in the last 12 months to September 1995 from Sri Lanka was 1,830.

Asylum application from Sri Lankan nationals (October 1994—September 1995)
Number of persons
1994
October 185
November 170
December 160
1995
January 190
February 160
March 185
April 130
May 180
Asylum application from Sri Lankan nationals (October 1994—September 1995)
Number of persons
June 155
July 150
August 165
September 186
Total 1,830

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Horne Department how many Sri Lankan Tamils were deported from the United Kingdom in(a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) to date in 1995. [37651]

Mr. Kirkhope

Information on all Sri Lankan nationals is given in the table; no distinction is made in statistical records between Tamils and other Sri Lankans.

Sri Lankan nationals removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process1
Number of persons
1993 8
1994 4
1995 January to September 6
1 Including "voluntary" departures after deportation action had been initiated, but excluding illegal entrants removed.