§ Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknishasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 19 October (WA 112), for each month of this year what was the total number of applications for asylum; and how many were (a) at the port of entry and (b) in country; and how many applicants were (a) granted asylum, (b) granted exceptional leave to remain, (c) refused and (d) deported. [HL4577]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonThe requested information is given in the tables. Information on the number of asylum applications and decisions taken in 1999 can be found on the Home Office Internet site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.u1c/rds/index.htm
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Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by location of application, and decisions, by month.1 United Kingdom Number of principal applicants Month Applications received Decisions2,3 Cases considered under normal procedures Backlog clearance exercise Refusals Total applications Applied at port Applied in country Total decisions Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum5 Not recognized as a refugee but granted exceptional leave5 Total refused5 Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration5 Refused on safe third country grounds5 Refused on non-compliance grounds4,5 Granted exceptional leave under backlog criteria5,7,8 Refused on non-compliance ground's under backlog criteria5,7,9 1999 Jan6,+ 4,700 2,200 2,500 995 15(2%) 135(24%) 425(74%) 225(40%) 190(33%) 5(1%) 420(100%) -(0%) Feb6 4,185 1,800 2,385 1,275 35(4%) 110(15%) 600(81%) 380(51%) 190(26%) 25(4%) 535(100%) -(0%,) Mar6 5,060 1,905 3,150 1,855 75(8%) 150(16%) 710(76%) 470(50%) 205(22%) 35(4%) 915(99%) 10(1%) Apr 4,905 1,870 3,035 3,045 890(44%) 355(17%) 785(39%) 595(29%) 170(8%) 20(1%) 1,010(99%) 5(1%) May 5,370 2,360 3,015 4,185 2,235(74%) 190(6%) 590(20%) 455(15%) 105(3%) 30(1%) 1,150(98%) 20(2%) 6,130 2,640 3,490 4,680p 2,155p 150 "(4%) 1,100p 930p(27%) 140(4%) 35p(l%) 1,210(95%) 65(5%) Jun (63%) (32%) Jul 6,440 2,980 3,455 2,940p 610p(39%) 105p(7%) 865p(55%) 645p(41%) 185(12%) 35p (2%) 1,275(94%) 85(6%) Aug 7,120 2,740 4,375 3,075p 245p(17%) 200p(14%) 990p(69%) 640p(45%) 100(7%) 250p (17%) 1,380(84%) 265(16%) Sep 7,355 2,645 4,710 2,680p 245p(18%) 205p(15%) 915p(67%) 745p(55%) 100(7%) 70p (5%) 910(69%) 405(31%) p Provisional figures. 1 Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest 5. n/a = not applicable. 2 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period. 3 Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. 4 Paragraph 340 (paragraph 180F prior to 1 October 1994) of the Immigration Rules, for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity. 5 Percentage for cases considered under normal procedures and those within the backlog clearance exercise, are calculated separately. 6 Decision figures for December 1998 to March 1999 are low due to significant interruption to the casework operation during the transition of IND staff to Integrated Caseworking. This interruption also affects a small proportion of in-country applications in December 1998 and January 1999 which have been estimated. 7 Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog. 8 Includes a small number of cases where asylum has been granted. 9 Includes a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds. 10 Port figures for January 1999 are estimated and subject to revision.
Removals and voluntary departures of asylum applicants, excluding dependents, by month, 1999 Port Removals1, p In Country Removals2, p Total Removalsp January 408 240 648 February 333 254 587 March 382 233 615 April 425 174 599 May 448 177 625 June 409 201 610 July 466 195 661 August 397 230 627 September 407 262 669 Grand Total 3,675 1,966 5,641 1 Includes any voluntary departure up to and including notification of the decision on asylum application but excludes any subsequent departure. 2 Includes removals under enforcement powers and those departing voluntarily following enforcement action but excludes all other voluntary departures.