Asylum (Hansard, 8 February 1996)

§ Mr. Henderson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many without foundation appeals against a refusal of asylum were determined in(a) 1994 and (b) 1995; and how many of these appeals were (i) allowed, (ii) referred back to the Secretary of State for reconsideration under paragraph 5 of schedule 2 to the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 and (iii) withdrawn. [13935]

§ Mr. Kirkhope
Information regarding the decisions on without foundation appeals for 1995 is given in the table. The equivalent information for 1994 is published in table 8.4 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1994", issue 15/95. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

Outcome of without foundation appeals to the adjudicator, excluding dependants, 1995

1995 percentage

Total determined¹ of which: 1,115 (100)

Allowed 3

Dismissed 59

Withdrawn 9

Referred to the Secretary of State 29

¹ Figures are provisional and rounded to the nearest 5 or percentage.

309W

§ Mr. Henderson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum by persons applying(a) at a port of entry to the United Kingdom and (b) after entry were decided in 1995; and how many in each category were granted asylum and exceptional leave to remain. [13989]

§ Mr. Kirkhope
The information requested is given in the table.

Decisions³ on applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom¹ excluding dependants, by location of application, January to December 1995

Principal applicants

Applied at port Applied in-country Total

Asylum applications² 14,410 29,555 43,965

Decisions³ 10,255 16,755 27,005

Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum 345 950 1,295

Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain⁴ 1,945 2,465 4,410

Total refusals 7,960 13,340 21,300

Refused asylum and ELR after full consideration 6,665 11,040 17,705

Refused on safe third country grounds⁵ 1,300 215 1,515

Refused under para 340⁶ — 2,085 2,085

¹ Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5.

² Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.

³ Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the period.

⁴ Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.

⁵ Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.

⁶ Paragraph 180F prior to 1/10/94. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity.

§ Mr. Henderson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of without foundation asylum appeals were determined within the time scale prescribed by the Asylum Appeals (Procedure) Rules 1993, in 1995. [13934]

§ Mr. Kirkhope
In 1995, 12 per cent. of all without foundation appeals were determined within the prescribed time scale.
310W

§ Mr. Henderson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications are currently awaiting an initial decision by his Department's asylum division; how many appeals against a refusal of asylum are currently being processed by the asylum division; and how many appeals against a refusal of asylum, which have been processed by the asylum division and despatched to the immigration appellate authority, are awaiting hearings by the authority. [13988]

§ Mr. Kirkhope
As at 31 December 1995, 69,650 asylum applications were awaiting initial decisions by the Home Office from people who had been refused asylum and 11,690 such appeals were awaiting hearings by the Immigration Appellate Authority.

§ Mr. Henderson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons, having been refused asylum,(a) were removed or (b) made voluntary departures from the United Kingdom in (i) 1994 and (ii) 1995. [13990]

§ Mr. Kirkhope
In 1994, there were 2,108 removals, including 566 voluntary departures, of persons refused asylum. The provisional figures for 1995 are 2,629 and 759 respectively.

§ Mr. Henderson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average time currently taken by his Department to reach an initial decision on(a) all asylum applicants and (b) asylum applications submitted (i) prior to and (ii) following implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993; [13937]
(2) what is the average time taken by his Department's asylum division to process and despatch to the immigration appellate authority an appeal against a refusal of asylum; and what is the average time taken by the authority to hear and determine such an appeal following its receipt from the asylum division. [13936]

§ Mr. Kirkhope
Information on the times taken at the various stages of the asylum process are given in the table.

Average times involved in deciding applications for asylum (June—November 1995)

Months

Time taken for an initial decision to be made (pre-act applications) 40.0

Time taken for an initial decision to be made (post-act applications) 8.9

Time taken by the Home Office to process an appeal 3.7

Time taken by the Immigration Appellate Authority to determine an appeal 6.1

Outcome of without foundation appeals to the adjudicator, excluding dependants, 1995
	1995 percentage
Total determined¹ of which:	1,115 (100)
Allowed	3
Dismissed	59
Withdrawn	9
Referred to the Secretary of State	29
¹ Figures are provisional and rounded to the nearest 5 or percentage.

Decisions³ on applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom¹ excluding dependants, by location of application, January to December 1995
Principal applicants
	Applied at port	Applied in-country	Total
Asylum applications²	14,410	29,555	43,965
Decisions³	10,255	16,755	27,005
Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum	345	950	1,295
Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain⁴	1,945	2,465	4,410
Total refusals	7,960	13,340	21,300
Refused asylum and ELR after full consideration	6,665	11,040	17,705
Refused on safe third country grounds⁵	1,300	215	1,515
Refused under para 340⁶	—	2,085	2,085
¹ Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5.
² Figures exclude information on applications made overseas.
³ Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the period.
⁴ Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.
⁵ Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.
⁶ Paragraph 180F prior to 1/10/94. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity.

Average times involved in deciding applications for asylum (June—November 1995)
	Months
Time taken for an initial decision to be made (pre-act applications)	40.0
Time taken for an initial decision to be made (post-act applications)	8.9
Time taken by the Home Office to process an appeal	3.7
Time taken by the Immigration Appellate Authority to determine an appeal	6.1