HC Deb 13 March 2000 vol 346 cc78-9W
26. Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the additional responsibilities local authorities will have to look after asylum seekers from 1 April. [112598]

Mrs. Roche

Local authorities will have no additional statutory responsibilities to look after asylum seekers from 1 April.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were being housed in each of the London borough council authorities on 1 March. [113430]

Mrs. Roche

The latest available information is given in the table and shows the number of asylum seekers supported by each London Borough Council authority. All of those receiving support from these local authorities are also being accommodated.

Number of asylum seekers being supported by each London Borough Council authority in the week ending 18 February 2000
Borough Total number of asylum seekers Unaccompanied minors1 Single adults2 Number of families3 Number of people in families
Redbridge4 2,180 220 730 380 1,230
Richmond-upon-Thames4 1,670 220 690 220 750
Southwark 3,060 190 1,130 570 1,740
Sutton 570 50 250 90 270
Tower Hamlets 750 10 270 140 470
Waltham Forest 2,270 1,160 500 1,110
Wandsworth4 980 20 200 220 760
Westminster 2,300 140 740 430 1,420
Total 59,350 3,320 19,420 11,750 36,610
1 Unaccompanied children under 17
2 A significant proportion of the single adults live in other areas of the country but the accommodation is organised by London local authority
3 Families include cases with only dependant adults
4 Updated figures not yet reported, figures taken from previous report