Asylum (Iraqi Nationals) (Hansard, 9 March 2001)

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from Iraq(a) applied for asylum in the UK, (b) had applications refused, (c) had applications allowed on appeal, (d) were given exceptional leave to remain, (e) were deported to Iraq and (f) were removed to a third country in each year since 1995; and what are the latest available figures for the current year. [153116]

§ Mrs. Roche
The latest available information on principal applicants (that is, excluding dependants) for nationals of Iraq is given in the table.

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999¹ 2000^{1. 2}

Applications received 930 965 1,075 1,295 1,800 7,080

Initial decisions³ 795 665 665 1,100 745 4,865

Of which:

Grants of exceptional leave⁴ 175 135 295 500 325 1,975

Refused⁴ 50 60 110 90 105 2,120

Appeals determined by Immigration Appellate Authority adjudicators⁵ 20 20 15 45 ⁷— ⁷—

Of which:

Appeals allowed⁵ 0 * 10 15 ⁷— ⁷—

Removals⁶ 15 30 40 40 ⁸40 ⁸50

¹ Provisional figures

² Decision figures, by nationality, are not readily available for the period January to March 2000.

³ Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.

⁴ Includes cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.

⁵ Figures are based on the cases for which information is recorded on the Refugee Index.

⁶ Includes persons removed under on-entry and in-country procedures who had, at some stage, claimed asylum.

⁷ Not available

⁸ Estimated

Note:
Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.
Information is not held centrally on the specific countries to which persons are removed. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost through the examination of individual case files.

§ Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the policy of his Department is regarding the safety of nationals deported to Iraq having failed asylum applications in the United Kingdom. [153117]

§ Mrs. Roche
Applications for asylum are considered on their individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations Refugee386W Convention. We would not normally contemplate returning failed asylum seekers to Government controlled Iraq. We also accept that there may be certain people from the Kurdish autonomous area in northern Iraq who are in need of international protection and cannot be returned there. But there are also those who, after detailed examination by trained asylum caseworkers, cannot establish a need for international protection and who can be safely returned to northern Iraq. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have also said that there are those who can safely remain in, or return to, northern Iraq. Other European countries take a similar approach regarding the safety of returning certain failed asylum applicants to northern Iraq.

	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999¹	2000^{1. 2}
Applications received	930	965	1,075	1,295	1,800	7,080
Initial decisions³	795	665	665	1,100	745	4,865
Of which:
Grants of exceptional leave⁴	175	135	295	500	325	1,975
Refused⁴	50	60	110	90	105	2,120
Appeals determined by Immigration Appellate Authority adjudicators⁵	20	20	15	45	⁷—	⁷—
Of which:
Appeals allowed⁵	0	*	10	15	⁷—	⁷—
Removals⁶	15	30	40	40	⁸40	⁸50
¹ Provisional figures
² Decision figures, by nationality, are not readily available for the period January to March 2000.
³ Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.
⁴ Includes cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.
⁵ Figures are based on the cases for which information is recorded on the Refugee Index.
⁶ Includes persons removed under on-entry and in-country procedures who had, at some stage, claimed asylum.
⁷ Not available
⁸ Estimated