§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to publish the files kept by the security services on Shapurji Saklatvala; and if he will make a statement. [61649]
§ Mr. StrawIt is long-standing Government policy neither to confirm nor deny whether the Security Service holds a record on any individual. I informed the House on 29 July 1998,Official Report, columns 251–52, that the Security Service has released almost all the surviving material in its archive covering the years 1909–1919, and is actively reviewing for release its more extensive stock of records for World War Two. Once this second phase of historical release has been completed, the Service will 252W completed in 2001. I wrote to all hon. Members on 18 November to explain that there will be considerable upheaval in the next three months. However, I am confident that, after February, IND' s service will be much improved. The refurbishment will create more reasonable conditions, which will be more conducive to the efficient delivery of services.
§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications from Slovakians have been certified since May 1997; how many Roma or Slovakian cases there have been in the period; and in how many of these cases the certification has been overturned at appeal. [61690]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe number of asylum applications made by nationals of Slovakia from May 1997 to October 1998 was 1,095, of which 565 were certified. I regret the information on ethnic origin could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost. I regret that the information on how many of the certified refusals overturned at appeal is not available.