§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on support for asylum seekers, including unaccompanied minors, in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) the period since 1 April. [142445]
§ Mrs. Roche[holding answer 12 December 2000]: The Home Department assumed responsibility for asylum support costs on 1 April 1999 as a result of the comprehensive spending review. These costs were previously the responsibility of the Department of Social Security and Department of Health. Their combined direct expenditure for supporting asylum seekers in 1996–97 179W was£413 million, in 1997–98 was£375 million and in 1998–99 was£475 million. These figures include costs for supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
The comparable costs in 1999–2000 to the Home Office budget of supporting asylum seekers in the United Kingdom was£537 million. The Department of Health incurred an additional cost of£52 million for supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children, bringing the total costs in 1999–2000 for supporting asylum seekers to£590 million.
Expenditure by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate for asylum support from 1 April 2000 to 30 November 2000 was£463 million. This figure does not include costs for supporting unaccompanied asylum seeking children as the grant exercise for 2000–01 will be conducted later in the year.