HC Deb 20 July 2001 vol 372 cc654-8W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are being held in each prison in England and Wales. [4751]

Angela Eagle

The most recent information, relating to the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers for each prison in England and Wales is given in the table. It is only possible to say how many of these had claimed asylum by examining individual case files at disproportionate cost. We have made it clear that the use of local prisons providing temporary spaces will end as soon as practicable.

Persons recorded as being held solely under Immigration Act powers as at 31 May 2001, in prison establishments in England and Wales1
Location Detainees
Bedford 5
Belmarsh 48
Birmingham 4
Blakenhurst 6
Bristol 3
Brixton 20
Bullingdon 6
Canterbury 3
Cardiff 52
Chelmsford 7
Doncaster 13
Dorchester 2
Durham 2
Persons recorded as being held solely under Immigration Act powers as at 31 May 2001, in prison establishments in England and Wales1
Location Detainees
Elmley 6
Feltham 10
Forest Bank 7
Glen Parva 3
Haslar 151
High Down 66
Holloway 35
Holme House 49
Leeds 10
Lewes 3
Lindholme 94
Liverpool 104
Manchester 6
Norwich 5
Pentonville 7
Rochester 183
Styal 3
Wandsworth 50
Winchester 39
Woodhill 2
Wormwood Scrubs 70
Other prison establishments 7
Total 1,081
1The figures for prison establishments may include some persons detained under dual immigration and other powers.

Source:

England and Wales data from the Offenders and Corrections Unit (RDS)

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reform the asylum dispersal system. [5785]

Angela Eagle

The dispersal arrangements are kept under review.

Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he will have established a full timetable for ending the use of prisons for detaining asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [5121]

Angela Eagle

[holding answer 19 July 2001]: The Government remain committed to its long-term strategy of reducing the use of prison accommodation to hold immigration detainees. However, even in the long-term, for reasons of geography, security and control, there may continue to be a need to hold small numbers of detainees in exceptional circumstances in prisons.

The temporary use of 500 additional places made available by the Prison Service in a number of local prisons will be reviewed during the next few months. The timing of the withdrawal of immigration detainees from these prison places will be the subject of discussions with the Prison Service. We have made it clear that Her Majesty's Prison Cardiff will cease to be used to hold immigration detainees by Christmas and that the use of the other local prisons providing temporary spaces will end as soon as practicable.

Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons hold asylum seekers; and in each case, how many and since which month. [5191]

Angela Eagle

[holding answer 19 July 2001]: The most recent information, relating to the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers in each prison, is given in the table. Further information on what proportion of these persons have claimed asylum and how long they have been detained is not held centrally, and could be obtained only by examining individual case files at disproportionate cost. We have made clear that the use of local prisons providing temporary spaces will end as soon as practicable.

Persons recorded as being in detention in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers as at 31 May 2001, in prison service establishments1
Location Total detainees
Bedford 5
Belmarsh 48
Birmingham 4
Blakenhurst 6
Bristol 3
Brixton 20
Bullingdon 6
Canterbury 3
Cardiff 52
Chelmsford 7
Cornton Vale 3
Craiginches 4
Doncaster 13
Dorchester 2
Durham 2
Elmley 6
Feltham 10
Forest Bank 7
Gateside 40
Glen Parva 3
Haslar 151
High Down 66
Holloway 35
Holme House 49
Leeds 10
Lewes 3
Lindholme 94
Liverpool 104
Maghabberry 4
Magilligan 12
Manchester 6
Norwich 5
Pentonville 7
Rochester 183
Styal 3
Wandsworth 50
Winchester 39
Woodhill 2
Wormwood Scrubs 70
Other prison establishments 7
Total 1,144
1The figures for prison establishments may include some persons detained under dual immigration and other powers.

Source:

England and Wales data from the Offenders and Corrections Unit (RDS), and Scotland and NI data from IS Glasgow.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average weekly accommodation cost is being paid through NASS and other agencies, to accommodate(a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers who have settled in Peterborough in the past 12 months. [5933]

Angela Eagle

The information is:

  1. (a) Those granted refugee status become eligible for mainstream benefits, including Housing Benefit, and separate records of the accommodation costs and addresses of former asylum seekers are not held.
    2. 657W
  2. (b) The accommodation costs of destitute asylum seekers may be met in one of three ways:
    1. (i) Directly by the National Asylum Support Service.
    2. (ii) By local authorities under the interim arrangements.
    3. (iii) By Housing Benefit for those entitled to mainstream benefits.

In the financial year ended 31 March 2001 the National Asylum Support Service provided support to single adults at an average cost of £134 per week and to families at an average cost of £294 per week. These figures include the cost of accommodation, vouchers and travel.

For the 2000–2001 financial year Peterborough was able to claim grant from the Home Office of up to £240 per week for each family supported under the interim arrangements and £140 for each single adult. These figures include accommodation costs.

The Home Office reimburses the Department for Social Security for Housing Benefit payments made to asylum seekers and in 2000–2001 the amount paid by the Home Office was £20 million.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers have settled in Peterborough in the last 12 months; and at what cost to public funds. [5934]

Angela Eagle

The information is:

  1. (a) Individuals granted refugee status are free to choose where they settle and the Home Office does not keep details of the addresses of refugees.
  2. (b) Numbers of asylum seekers allocated support by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) are only available at the regional level.

NASS commenced operations on 3 April 2000 and as at the end of May 2001, 2201 asylum seekers (including dependants) were allocated accommodation by NASS in the East of England region (of which Peterborough is a part). A further 1,0601 asylum seekers (including dependants) allocated voucher only support were staying in this region.

The average weekly cost of NASS support in 2000–2001 was £134 per single adult and £294 per family.

Peterborough city council are responsible for the support of asylum seekers who claimed asylum prior to 14 August 2000 and for asylum seekers who lost their entitlement to social security benefits as a result of a first negative decision before 25 September 2000. During 2000–2001 Peterborough city council provided 3,436 weeks of support to single adults and 1,458 weeks of support to families. It is not known how many of these support weeks were provided to asylum seekers who arrived during the last 12 months. The grant claimed by Peterborough city council for providing this support was £789,740.

1Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

Sir Brian Mawhinney

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much central Government grant has been given to (i) the Peterborough city council and (ii) other public bodies, indicating the bodies concerned, to cover the cost of(a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers who have settled in Peterborough in the past 12 months. [5932]

Angela Eagle

Peterborough city council has claimed grant of £789,740 from the Home Office to cover the costs of supporting asylum-seeking adults and families under the interim arrangements in 2000–2001. Of this, £579,224 has been paid and a balance of £210, 516 is due to be paid shortly.

In addition the East of England Consortium, a consortium of local authorities in the region including Peterborough city council, was paid a grant of £100,000 in 2000–2001. The purpose of the grant is to aid the regional consortia to carry out their enabling role. This role involves the development of structures and mechanisms to ensure robust partnership through effective joint working across the public, statutory, independent, voluntary and private sectors.

The Home Office also provides funding to the Refugee Council Regional Development Team, including a grant of around £40,000 to establish a specific post of regional development adviser for the East of England region, which includes Peterborough.

Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost of the asylum voucher system; and if he will make a statement. [5906]

Angela Eagle

Vouchers were introduced on 3 April 2000 when the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) became responsible for providing support to destitute asylum seekers.

The total face value of vouchers issued in the financial year ending 31 March 2001 was £26.1 million.

Total staffing and related administrative costs of the NASS for the same period, including the costs of processing application forms, allocating accommodation and administering the voucher scheme, were £15.6 million. Vouchers are printed and distributed by third party providers under contract to the Home Office and payments made under the voucher contract are included in the administrative costs of the NASS. Details of payments made under the voucher contract are commercially confidential.

Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete the review of the voucher system for asylum seekers. [5911]

Angela Eagle

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 19 July 2001,Official Report, column 339W.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy to introduce a quota for the number of asylum seekers accepted into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [5673]

Angela Eagle

There are no plans to introduce a quota for the number of asylum seekers accepted into the United Kingdom.