HL Deb 23 January 1997 vol 577 c66WA
The Earl of Sandwich

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many asylum seekers, out of the total number held in immigration detention centres on 1st January 1997 or an equivalent recent date, were married to United Kingdom citizens, and how many of those are still awaiting decisions from the immigration authorities.

Baroness Blatch

As at 11th December 1996, the most recent date for which information is available, a total of 426 persons who had sought asylum at some stage were recorded as being detained solely under Immigration Act powers in immigration detention centres. Of these, 81 were awaiting an initial decision on their asylum application.

Information on the number of detained asylum seekers married to United Kingdom citizens can only be obtained by examination of individual case records. The information requested is, therefore, only available at disproportionate costs.