HC Deb 12 May 2000 vol 349 cc515-7W
Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom under the backlog clearance exercise; and if he will make a statement. [122027]

Mrs. Roche

Since the start of the backlog clearance exercise in late December 1998 up to the end of March 2000, 15,125 initial decisions were made to grant exceptional leave to remain under the backlog criteria set out in the White Paper. We are aiming to clear the backlog of pre-1996 asylum applications by the end of July this year.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of the voucher scheme for asylum seekers; what has been the impact on administrative costs of the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [121992]

Mrs. Roche

The National Asylum Support Service commenced the distribution of vouchers on 3 April 2000. From this date, destitute asylum seekers and their dependants have been able to exchange vouchers for cash at designated Post Offices and for goods in over 18,000 affiliated national and independent retail outlets.

As the new voucher scheme has only been in operation since 3 April it is too early to make any meaningful assessment of its impact on central and local government administration costs.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will bring the new support arrangements for asylum seekers into force for all new asylum applicants. [121995]

Mrs. Roche

The new support arrangements were introduced on 3 April for those seeking asylum at port and extended on 17 April to bring onto the scheme new in-country applicants who make an asylum claim in Kent and those asylum seekers resident in Kent who receive a first decision on their application and then go on to appeal. It is hoped to bring all new asylum applicants onto the new support arrangements within six months.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of asylum seekers were recognised as refugees in the last six months; and if he will make a statement. [121994]

Mrs. Roche

In the period October 1999 to March 2000, of the initial decisions made under normal procedures on applications for asylum to the United Kingdom 7 per cent. were granted refugee status. In addition, 3 per cent. of applications received in the period July 1993 to December 1995 which were decided in the latest six months under the backlog criteria set out in the White Paper were granted refugee status.

Information on asylum can be accessed via the Internet at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions govern the legality of selling and buying vouchers issued to asylum seekers under the new support arrangements; what is the maximum penalty; how many persons have been convicted of an offence and what sentences they received; if the vouchers are marked 'non-transferable'; and if he will make a statement. [122000]

Mrs. Roche

There are no specific provisions in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 directly covering the sale or purchase of vouchers issued to asylum seekers under the new support arrangements. However, it is made clear on the face of a voucher that it is only for the use of the person named on it. Accordingly, any attempt to obtain cash or goods by a person other than the one named on the voucher could constitute an offence under the Theft Acts or conspiracy to defraud at common law, for which there is a range of maximum sentences. In certain circumstances, the offences of making false or dishonest representations (the maximum penalty for which is seven years imprisonment on conviction on indictment), under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, may be made out. These latter offences correspond to anti-fraud provisions in social security legislation.

No persons have been convicted of an offence relating to the sale or purchase or other misuse of vouchers provided under the new arrangements.

Any asylum seeker who disposes of their vouchers for cash might be liable to be charged with conspiracy to commit or aiding and abetting the commission of the offences under the Theft Acts or the 1999 Act.

Any asylum seeker receiving support under the national asylum support scheme who obtains cash from whatever source or by whatever means and fails to notify the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) would be liable to have their support suspended or discontinued under regulation 20(1)(a) of the Asylum Support Regulations 2000, as he would be in breach of a condition subject to which the asylum support had been provided (notification of change of circumstances). If they fail to notify the Service dishonestly and with a view to obtaining an advantage for themselves or another, they commit an offence under the 1999 Act which is punishable with a maximum of seven years imprisonment.

The NASS is presently in the process of establishing its intelligence and investigation functions. It is intended that NASS be able to receive complaints of fraud or misuse of its voucher scheme, to investigate these as appropriate, and to take such action as may seem correct in the individual case.