HC Deb 13 March 1997 vol 292 cc277-8W
Mr. Gerrard

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the asylum seekers currently held in detention(a) are awaiting a decision on their asylum application, (b) are awaiting an appeal following a refusal of their asylum application and (c) have had an appeal rejected. [19561]

Mr. Kirkhope

The available information is given in the table.

Number of people recorded as being detained1.2 on 31 January 19973 who had sought asylum at some stage, by stage of application and immigration status
Stage of application Port Illegal entrant Subject to deportation action Total
Awaiting an initial decision 103 57 15 175
Awaiting result of an appeal 203 144 29 376
Awaiting removal after refusal 86 144 17 217
Total 392 315 61 768
1 Persons detained solely under powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 to the Immigration Act 1971.
2 These figures include people who have been in detention for less than one month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period of time, the figures should be used with caution.
3 Illegal entrants and persons subject to deportation action are as at 31 January, port cases are as at 3 February 1997.