Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 3 April 2000)

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on housing asylum seekers on ships; and if he will make a statement. [116305]

§ Mrs. Roche
All offers of accommodation for asylum seekers under the national asylum support scheme are assessed with regard to the suitability of the accommodation offered, including its quality and whether it is in a location where the support needs of the asylum seekers are capable of being met. We would also assess its cost and whether any necessary planning permission has been issued. The National Asylum Support Service has also undertaken to consult with local authorities before any contract for accommodation is signed.
Any offer of accommodation that includes facilities to accommodate people on floating accommodation will be considered in the same way and in accordance with the same criteria as any other offer of accommodation.

§ Mr. Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from each country which is a candidate for EU membership applied for refugee status in the United Kingdom in(a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date; how many were accepted in each case; and what criteria each successful applicant and their family fulfilled. [116307]

§ Mrs. Roche
All asylum applications are considered against the criteria specified in the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. In order to qualify for asylum, a person must be outside his/her country of nationality and have a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. The spouse and minor children who accompany an asylum applicant to the United Kingdom will normally be recognised as refugees if the principal applicant's application is successful.
367W

Asylum applications¹ received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions² on applications, 2000

Principal applicants

Decisions

Total applications Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Grants of ELR underbacklog criteria Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria

Slovakia ⁴— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

Czech Republic 345 ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

Latvia 80 ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

Estonia 90 ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

Bulgaria 5 ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

Cyprus 10 ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

Slovenia ⁴— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

Hungary — ³— ³— ³— ³— ³— ³—

¹ Figures rounded to nearest 5, with ⁴= 1 or 2

² Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions

³ Not available

⁴=1 or 2

Asylum applications¹ received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1999 and initial decisions^2,3 on applications, January to May 1999

Principal applicants

Decisions

Total applications Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Grants of ELR under backlog criteria Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria

Turkey 2,870 625 15 ⁵— 100 505 5

Poland 1,865 160 ⁴— — 160 ⁵— —

Lithuania 615 130 — — 130 ⁵— —

Romania 1,990 65 — — 60 5 —

Slovakia 75 90 — — 90 — —

Czech Republic 1,790 50 — — 50 — —

Latvia 520 15 — — 15 — —

Estonia 455 5 — — 5 — —

Bulgaria 85 40 — — 10 30 —

Cyprus 25 75 ⁵— — — 75 —

Slovenia 5 — — — — — —

Hungary 15 ⁵— — — — ⁵— —

¹ Figures rounded to nearest 5, with⁵= 1 or 2

² Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions

³ January to May only

⁴ Not available

⁵ =1 or 2.

Asylum applications¹ received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions² on applications, 2000
Principal applicants
Decisions
	Total applications	Total decisions	Grants of asylum	Grants of ELR	Total refusals	Grants of ELR underbacklog criteria	Non compliance refusals under backlog criteria
Slovakia	⁴—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
Czech Republic	345	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
Latvia	80	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
Estonia	90	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
Bulgaria	5	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
Cyprus	10	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
Slovenia	⁴—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
Hungary	—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—	³—
¹ Figures rounded to nearest 5, with ⁴= 1 or 2
² Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions
³ Not available
⁴=1 or 2