§ Dr. HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers, claiming Kosovan origin are currently detained at(a) Campsfield House and (b) other immigration detention centres. [60013]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienRegrettably, information on the number of detained asylum seekers who claim to be Kosovan can be obtained only by examining individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.
As there is no distinct nationality of Kosovan, those claiming to be Kosovan are usually to be found among nationals of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). Some claiming to be Kosovan are in fact Albanian.
The number of each of these nationalities held in the five main centres on 17 November 1998 was:
FRY Albania Campsfield House 8 15 Tinsley House 6 8 Harmondsworth 4 4 Haslar 4 9 Rochester 23 23 Total 45 59 These data include those detained under Immigration Act powers, whether or not they have claimed asylum at any time.
§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovans(a) have applied for asylum, (b) have had an initial decision on their application, (c) are appealing against asylum decisions and (d) have been granted asylum or exceptional leave to remain in each of the last 24 months; and what formal or informal procedures are used to identify Kosovans. [60344]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe available information is on asylum applications and decisions for nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and is given in the table. Although Kosovans are not separately identifiable, the vast majority of applicants from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia claim to be ethnic Albanians from Kosovo. I regret that there is no information available regarding nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia appealing against asylum decisions.
The determination of whether an applicant is an ethnic Albanian from Kosovo in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as claimed, is based on the information and evidence available in the individual case, including any documentation submitted and the outcome of any interview conducted. There is evidence that some of those claiming to be Kosovan are in fact from Albania.
607W
Asylum applications1 received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions on applications, November 1996 to October 1998, for nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 2 Principal applicants Applications Decisions Total Port In country Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals 1997 January 70 40 30 85 75 * 10 February 105 75 25 155 150 * 5 March 50 40 10 165 160 * 5 April 115 90 25 140 140 * * May 95 60 35 100 95 * 5 June 110 65 50 130 90 40 — July 150 75 75 135 100 35 * August 200 105 95 140 100 45 * September 220 170 50 160 120 40 — October 240 145 95 190 145 40 * November 220 165 55 85 85 * — December 295 230 65 100 95 5 * 1998 January 270 185 90 125 120 * * February 270 175 100 105 95 * 10 March 280 185 95 115 100 15 * April 385 240 145 125 100 20 5 May 315 180 135 130 120 10 * June 680 290 390 120 110 5 5 July 845 225 620 80 50 20 10 August 905 335 575 60 50 — 10 September 870 300 570 70 40 — 30 October 1,160 250 905 90 55 — 35 Total 7,955 3,685 4,270 2,715 2,255 290 170 1Figures rounded to nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2 2The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia consists of Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro