HL Deb 28 March 2000 vol 611 cc69-70WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many applicants for asylum have so far been dispersed from the points at which they originally claimed asylum; to which local authority areas; and what standards are specified for their accommodation. [HL1605]

Lord Bassam of Brighton

Information on the number of asylum applicants dispersed is not available in precisely the form requested.

Under the interim voluntary dispersal scheme operated by the Local Government Association and the Association of London Government/London Asylum Seekers Consortium, 1,797 households have been offered dispersal since 6 December 1999.

The available information shows the number of offers of dispersa made to asylum applicants and their dependants. This information is shown in the table.

The standard of accommodation provided under the voluntary dispersal scheme is the responsibility of the local authority supporting the asylum seeker. The relevant standards are the same as those applied when rehousing any homeless residents.

Table showing the dispersal offers made to asylum seekers and then dependants who made an asylum application in London or Kent under the interim voluntary dispersal scheme as at 15 March 2000.

Asylum Seekers—Interim Scheme
1. Dispersal by Region
From
London Kent Total
To
North West 663 49 712
North East 256 5 261
Yorkshire/Humberside 285 186 471
West Midlands 55 12 67
East Midlands 98 0 98
Wales 0 0 0
East 0 0 0
South West 24 7 31
South Central 157 0 157
Total 1,538 259 1,797

2. Dispersal by Region/Local Authority
Number
North West
Liverpool 259
Bolton 44
Blackburn 35
Manchester 46
Oldham 26
Blackpool 19
Salford 63
Wigan 48
Bury 52
Rochdale 62
Trafford 15
Tameside 23
Stockport 20
North East
Newcastle 103
Sunderland 49
Redcar 26
North Tyneside 33
Gateshead 32
Middlesbrough 9
South Tyneside 9
Yorkshire/Humberside
Calderdale 11
Wakefield 93
Kirklees 70
Sheffield 75
Barnsley 41
Leeds 39
Grimsby 88
Rotherham 38
Bradford 9
Doncaster 7
West Midlands
Wolverhampton 23
Birmingham 10
Dudley 12
Warwick 2
Coventry 1
Sandwell 19
East Midlands
Derby 86
Nottingham 12
Wales
NIL
East
NIL
South West
Gloucester 23
Devon 5
Swindon 3
South Central
Basingstoke 16
Portsmouth 120
Bournemouth 21