§ Mr. AllanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistical monitoring is undertaken in relation to the detention and imprisonment of asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [15174]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienStatistical information on persons who had sought asylum and were detained as at specific points in time is available. A copy of the most recent statistics is attached.
Table 1: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by gender and immigration status Gender Port Illegal entrants Subject to deportation action Total Male 283 352 56 691 Female 33 14 2 49 Total 316 366 58 740 1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971. 2These figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution. 417W
Table 2: Number of people recorded as being detained on1,2 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by stage of application and immigration status Stage of application Port Illegal entrants Subject to deportation action Total Awaiting initial decision 158 166 8 332 Awaiting result of appeal 104 90 28 222 Awaiting result of further challenge or documentation for removal3 54 110 22 186 Total 316 366 58 740 1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971. 2These figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution. 3Includes those persons awaiting the result of a further appeal/other challenge or awaiting removal pending documentation.
Table 3: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by length of detention3 and immigration status. Length Port Illegal entrants Subject to deportation action Total 0-1 Month1 109 109 10 228 1-2 Months 83 87 8 178 2-6 Months 85 118 24 227 6-12 Months 28 47 12 87 12 Months + 11 5 4 20 Total 316 366 58 740 1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971. 2These figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution. 3In some cases the date a person enters detention may be understated due to the method of recording. 418W
Table 4: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality and immigration status Nationality Port Illegal entrants Subject to deportation action Total India 15 79 2 96 Nigeria 40 34 14 88 Pakistan 19 30 7 56 Algeria 13 28 6 47 China People's Republic of 14 21 0 35 Ghana 12 12 3 27 Turkey 10 16 0 26 Romania 2 23 0 25 Czech Republic 22 2 0 24 Yugoslavia 9 15 0 24 Bangladesh 6 13 3 22 Kenya 19 2 1 22 Sri Lanka 9 9 3 21 Albania 3 15 0 18 Cyprus 13 2 0 15 Slovakia 15 0 0 15 Angola 7 4 2 13 Bulgaria 9 1 2 12 Gambia 6 1 2 9 Ivory Coast 5 3 0 8 Jamaica 1 3 4 8 Lithuania 4 2 1 7 Poland 1 6 0 7 Russia 1 6 0 7 Sudan 4 3 0 7 South Africa 5 1 1 7 Uganda 7 0 0 7 Ecuador 6 0 0 6 Colombia 5 0 0 5 Iran 4 1 0 5 Morocco 2 2 0 4 Ukraine (Ukrainian SS) 0 3 1 4 Afghanistan 1 2 0 3 Lebanon 2 1 0 3 Somalia 3 0 0 3 Tanzania 2 0 1 3 Armenia 0 2 0 2 Guinea 2 0 0 2 Kazakhstan 0 2 0 2 Liberia 2 0 0 2 Libya (Arab Republic) 0 2 0 2 Nepal 0 2 0 2 Philippines 1 1 0 2 Palestine 1 1 0 2
Table 4: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality and immigration status Nationality Port Illegal entrants Subject to deportation action Total Sierra Leone 1 1 0 2 Tunisia 0 1 1 2 Ukraine 2 0 0 2 Zaire 2 0 0 2 Zimbabwe 1 1 0 2 Nationality doubtful 2 8 0 10 Others 6 5 4 15 Total 316 366 58 740 1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971. 2Those figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution.