HC Deb 12 April 2000 vol 348 cc228-9W
Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000, together with estimates he has made for the year 2000–01(a) the number of applications for asylum made in each year, (b) the number of dependants of applicants for asylum applying in each year, (c) the number of asylum seekers and dependants being supported at cost to public funds, (d) the costs to public funds of supporting asylum seekers and their dependants, including costs relating to unaccompanied children, (1) in total, (2) per head of population, (3) per income tax payer, (4) per household and (5) as a percentage of total Government expenditure and (e) the cost to public funds of administration associated with asylum seekers and their dependants, (A) in total, (B) per head of population, (C) per income tax payer, (D) per household and (E) as a percentage of total Government expenditure. [118802]

Mrs. Roche

The available figures are given in the table:

1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01
Costs to public funds of administration associated with asylum seekers and their dependants5
Total (£ million) 215 209 6260 n/a
Per head of population4 (£) 3.66 3.55 4.42 n/a
Per income tax payer4 (£) 7.71 7.49 9.32 n/a
Per household4 (£) 8.88 8.64 10.74 n/a
Percentage of total Government expenditure4 0.07 0.06 0.08 n/a
1Includes an estimated figure for March 2000.
2Only available for calendar years.
3Including costs associated with unaccompanied children.
4The estimated figure for the UK population is 58.8 million, the estimated number of tax payers is 27.9 million and the estimated number of households is 24.2 million. The total managed public expenditure in 1997–98 was 322.1 billion, in 1998–99 is 331 billion (estimated) and in 1999–2000 is £345.2 billion (estimated).
5These figures are for total immigration administration which includes asylum administration costs.
6Includes National Asylum Support Service (NASS) administration costs.

Figures for dependants are available only for calendar years. In 1997, there were a total of 8,980 dependants, in 1998 the figure was 12,470. Figures for 1999 and 2000 are not currently available.

In 1997–98 to 1999–2000 asylum seekers were supported by the Department of Social Security and Department of Health (Local authorities). Figures for the numbers being supported change from week to week. Financial year figures for supported asylum seekers are not available.