§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will state in respect of each of the last five years(a) the number of asylum decisions taken broken down by the nationality of claimants and (b) the number of claimants of each nationality who were (i) accepted as refugees, (ii) refused refugee status and (iii) granted exceptional leave to remain; [111886]
(2) if he will list for each of the last five years the number of asylum claims in the United Kingdom broken down by the nationality of the claimant. [111887]
§ Mrs. RocheInformation regarding asylum applications, by nationality, for each of the years 1995 to 1998, is given in Table 2.2 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, 1998". Information on asylum decisions made, by type and nationality during this period is given in tables 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the same publication, a copy of which is available in the Library.
Information on asylum applications made in 1999, by nationality, is given in the table. Similar information on decisions made, by nationality, is not yet available. Figures for total asylum decisions made in 1999 can be accessed via the Internet at.http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm.
110W
New asylum applications1,2 received in the United Kingdom, 1999 Year to December Europe Bulgaria 80 Cyprus 20 Poland 1,860 Romania 1,985 Former USSR 4,105 Turkey 2,850 Former Yugoslavia 14,180 Others 3,200 Total 28,280 Americas Columbia 1,000 Others 1,025 Total 2,025 Middle East Iran 1,320 Iraq 1,800 Lebanon 240 Others 805 Total 4,165 Africa Algeria 1,385 Angola 545 Cameroon 245 Democratic Republic of Congo 1,240
New asylum applications1,2 received in the United Kingdom, 1999 Year to December Ethiopia 455 Gambia 30 Ghana 195 Ivory Coast 190 Kenya 485 Liberia 65 Nigeria 945 Rwanda 820 Sierra Leone 1,125 Somalia 7,495 South Africa 90 Sudan 280 Tanzania 80 Togo 60 Uganda 420 Zimbabwe 230 Others 2,045 Total 18,435 Asia Afghanistan 3,975 Bangladesh 530 China 2,625 India 1,365 Pakistan 2,615 Sri Lanka 5,130 Others 1,225 Total 17,465 Other and unknown nationalities 785 Grand Total 71,160 1 Excluding dependants 2 Figures rounded to the nearest 5
§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers left the United Kingdom in each of the last five years(a) voluntarily, (b) through administrative removal, (c) through deportation and (d) following enforcement action; and if he will make a statement. [111888]
§ Mrs. RocheThe available information, relating to removals and voluntary departures of persons who have applied for asylum at Some stage, is given in the table. Failed asylum seekers are removed only once all their rights of appeal in the United Kingdom have been exhausted. It should be noted that the figures include those removed on a third country basis and may include some persons who withdrew their asylum application or appeal before a decision or determination had been reached. Section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which provides for the administrative removal of certain categories of persons currently liable to deportation, has yet to be brought into force.
111W
Removals and voluntary departures of asylum applicants, excluding dependants, 1995 to 1999 1 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 1 Removals under port procedures Refused and Removed of which: 1,890 2,695 4,100 3,460 4,895 Voluntary departures3 615 715 1,090 1,105 2—
Removals and voluntary departures of asylum applicants, excluding dependants, 1995 to 1999 1 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 1 Removals under enforcement procedures Deportation removals 225 405 455 350 140 Of which: Voluntary departures4,5 50 95 135 100 2— Illegal entry removals 1,065 1,740 2,605 3,090 2,610 Of which: Voluntary departures4,5 240 330 580 620 2— Total asylum removals 3,180 4,840 7,160 6,900 7,645 Of which: Voluntary departures3,4,5 905 1,140 1,805 1,825 2— 1 Figures are provisional 2 Not available 3 Includes voluntary departures up to and including notification of the decision on the asylum application for port applicants 4 Includes only those voluntary departures taking place after the initiation of enforcement action for in-country applicants 5 1998 voluntary departures are estimated Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
§ Ms OsborneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to use Adamton House at Prestwick for accommodation for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [111989]
§ Mrs. RocheA general invitation to tender for the provision of accommodation and related services as part of our new support arrangements for asylum seekers was issued last November. We are currently holding discussions with prospective suppliers aimed at enabling contracts to be awarded very shortly. Information provided by suppliers within the tender process, including property details, is commercially confidential.
§ Mr. FallonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers entered the United Kingdom during 1999; and how many have been placed in accommodation in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [111308]
§ Mrs. RocheTotal asylum applications in 1999 were 71,160. Information is not held centrally on where these asylum seekers have been accommodated.
Under the interim dispersal scheme which started on 6 December 1999, a total of 1,288 asylum applicants to date have been dispersed from London and the South East to other areas of the country. All of these were dispersed to areas in England. Scotland and Northern Ireland are not included in the interim scheme.