§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the asylum applications awaiting an initial decision have been outstanding for(a) between six months and one year, (b) between one and two years and (c) more than two years. [145434]
550W
§ Mrs. RocheThe information is not available in the form requested. As at the end of November (the latest date for which figures are available) the number of asylum applications made within the previous six months where a decision has not been made was approximately 25,500. The number of asylum applications made more than six months ago where a decision has not been made is estimated to be 44,400.
A very small number of cases involving applications made before 1996 continue to be identified although the vast majority have been dealt with. These cases are being decided as a high priority.
Any further information could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and is, therefore available only at disproportionate cost.