HC Deb 11 December 2000 vol 359 cc48-51W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what average time is currently taken by the National Asylum Support Service to determine an application for support. [142085]

Mrs. Roche

The information requested is not currently available.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have exercised a human rights appeal under section 65 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 in relation to a refused family visit visa application since 2 October. [142092]

Mrs. Roche

I am not aware of anyone who has made an allegation under section 65 in respect of a decision to refuse an application for a visa to visit a family member.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for support were determined by the National Asylum Support Service in(a) September and (b) October; and in what proportion of these cases the application was determined (a) within seven days, (b) within 14 days and (c) in more than 14 days. [142086]

Mrs. Roche

As at the end of August 2000, 11,3001 asylum seekers were allocated support by the National Asylum Support Service. This figure was 14,2001 at the end of September 2000 and 18,2001 at the end of October 2000. These figures include dependants. Information on the proportion decided within seven or 14 days is not available. 1 Figures rounded to the nearest hundred.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the net income from fees for family visitor appeals since 2 October. [142091]

Mrs. Roche

As of 4 December, the net income from fees from family visitor appeals was £13,000. It may be that some of this total will be refunded following the resolution of appeals which are currently outstanding.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for support have been made to the National Asylum Support Service by asylum-seekers since 3 April 2000; how many of these applications have been determined; and how many applications remain under consideration. [142084]

Mrs. Roche

As at 4 December 2000, the National Asylum Support Service had received 25,0001 applications for support since 3 April 2000. 22,7001 asylum seekers, including dependants, have been allocated NASS support. Information on the number of applications determined, and the number outstanding, is not currently available. 1 Figures rounded to the nearest hundred.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the rules governing asylum seekers' ability to undertake(a) voluntary work and (b) paid employment; and if he will make a statement. [141705]

Mrs. Roche

I have no plans to limit the ability of asylum seekers to undertake paid voluntary work. I am reviewing the concession which allows asylum seekers to seek permission to take paid employment if an initial decision on their asylum application has been outstanding for six months or more.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed in processing asylum applications on the last date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [141706]

Mrs. Roche

As at 4 December, the number of staff employed in the Integrated Casework Directorate in processing asylum applications was about 1,230. As with the reply given to the hon. Member on 4 July 2000,Official Report, column 175W, this figure includes those who manage and support staff making the decisions as well as the decision makers. It does not include Immigration Service staff also engaged in processing asylum applications.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time was for reaching(a) an initial decision and (b) a final decision on an asylum application for (i) an individual, (ii) a family and (ii) for all applications, (A) on the latest date for which figures are available and (B) in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [141703]

Mrs. Roche

The available information is given in the table.

Although 2000 statistics are not yet available, the average time taken to reach an initial decision in October 2000 was estimated to have fallen to 11 months.

The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) are setting in place new systems which will enable average decision times to be calculated, split by individual and family applicants.

Average time to initial decision1, in months, 1996–99
Applications lodged:
Year All applications Pre-July 1993 Post-July 1993
1996 17 52 11
1997 22 64 14
1998 17 78 12
19992 35 91 16
October 20002 11 n/a n/a
1 The average length of time (in months) is calculated from when the data application is lodged to the date of initial decision, and relates to the year in which the decisions were made.
2 Figures are estimates based on cases for which information is recorded.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he expects to comply with Government targets for the time taken to process asylum applications; and if he will make a statement. [141704]

Mrs. Roche

The 1998 White Paper committed the Government to make most initial asylum decisions within two months by April 2001. We are on course to meet this target and are already doing so for families with children.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he made of the administrative costs(a) in total and (b) per asylum seeker of providing support for asylum seekers through (i) the voucher system and (ii) the social security system; what the total cost to date is of administering asylum vouchers; and if he will make a statement. [141707]

Mrs. Roche

The total staffing and related costs of the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), which include the administrative costs of the voucher scheme, are estimated as £16 million for 2000–01. Based on an anticipated total of 43,000 applications for support the estimated administrative cost per asylum seeker in 2000–01 is £372.

Total staffing and related administrative costs of NASS, including the costs of administering the voucher scheme, assessing applications for support and arranging the dispersal and accommodation of asylum seekers to 30 November 2000 are recorded as £9 million. Vouchers are printed and distributed by third party providers under contract to the Home Office and the costs of this service are commercially confidential. Payments made under the voucher contract to 30 November 2000 are included in the total staffing and related administrative cost.

Between 1994 and 1999 the annual administrative costs for income support for asylum seeker claims for one year was estimated to be in the region of £1 million and £2.5 million in 1999–2000. The estimated costs in the current year to the end of October are £0.5 million.

These figures, which are rounded to the nearest £0.5 million, are based on the cost of processing new income support claims and maintaining existing cases. Costs per asylum seeker are not available.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he plans to end the policy of not allowing change to be given when asylum vouchers are spent; and if he will make a statement. [141702]

Mrs. Roche

As part of the review of the operation of the asylum voucher support system, we are giving early consideration to how change and lower denomination vouchers can be issued in the context of the decisions made by Parliament and reflected in the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act. My officials are working on the practicalities and we hope to make an announcement soon.