§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of(a) the number of asylum seekers dispersed throughout the UK, (b) the number who are locating in London and (c) the number being offered accommodation by the Refugee Council on behalf of the National Asylum Support Service. [160793]
§ Mrs. RocheAs at the end of March 2001, 23,5301 asylum seekers (including dependants) were allocated accommodation by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) and 13,4701 (including dependants) were allocated voucher-only support by NASS.
Of the above, 5201 were allocated accommodation in London and 9,4201 of those allocated voucher-only support were staying in London.
It is NASS policy to offer asylum seekers accommodation outside London and the south-east. However, in special circumstances, such as medical problems, some asylum seekers are allocated accommodation in London.
As at 27 April 2001, the Refugee Council was accommodating 5,2301 asylum seekers (including dependants) in emergency accommodation on behalf of NASS. Of these, 4,4101 were in London. 1Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seeker applicants opted for vouchers only, including dependants; and how many have accepted dispersal. [160790]
§ Mrs. RocheAs at the end of March 2001, 13,4701 asylum seekers (including dependants) were allocated voucher-only support by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) and 23,5301 (including dependants) were allocated accommodation by NASS. 1Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
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§ Mr. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to take full financial responsibility for asylum seekers and their dependants in place of local authority responsibility. [160792]
§ Mrs. RocheThe Home Office assumed responsibility on 1 April 1999 for reimbursing local authorities for direct costs incurred, within unit cost limits for supporting asylum seekers. Payment is by way of grant.
§ Mr. CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated total value is of the benefits available in vouchers, in cash and in kind, including accommodation, to an asylum-seeking family with two adults and two children which is being supported by NASS, broken down by type of benefit, in the financial year 2001–02. [160634]
§ Mrs. RocheAsylum seekers in need can be supported with accommodation, subsistence or both. The current weekly value of voucher support for a family consisting of a couple and two children, aged 16 or younger, is £119.27, of which £40.00 is paid in cash vouchers. Accommodation is provided directly by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).
An asylum-seeking family in National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation has their utility bills paid by NASS. This in-kind support is estimated to be worth around £18 per week. In addition, NASS accommodation includes items not generally included in furnished accommodation, such as towels, bedding, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery, at an estimated value of around £5 per week. After six months, NASS-supported asylum seekers are also eligible for a one-off payment of £50 per person.
If the children are new-born the family may be eligible for a maternity payment of £300 per child.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of asylum appeals determined were(a) allowed, (b) dismissed and (c) withdrawn for nationals of (i) Iraq, (ii) Somalia, (iii) Sri Lanka, (iv) Sudan, (v) Turkey, (vi) Zimbabwe and (vii) each other nationality for the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [160802]
§ Mrs. RocheAsylum appeal figures by nationality for 1999 and 2000 are not available as the Immigration Appellate Authority ceased to produce them. We hope to 327W be able to publish this information for the 2001 asylum statistics and beyond. The most recent figures refer to 1998 and are published in the Home Office Statistical
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Asylum appeals: Table 8.2 Outcome of appeals1 under the 1993 and 1996 Acts determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, excluding dependants, by nationality, 1998 Number of principal appellants Appeals determined by adjudicators2 Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Nationality Appeals sent to the IAA Total Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Europe Albania 80 75 10 10 65 86 5 4 Czech Republic 105 130 5 2 100 78 25 20 Poland 450 665 10 1 595 89 60 9 Romania 470 665 5 0 620 93 45 7 Slovak Republic 90 125 5 2 80 64 40 34 Turkey 545 1,405 530 38 805 57 70 5 Former USSR 925 635 30 5 540 85 65 10 Former Yugoslavia 165 335 50 15 140 41 145 43 Other 590 1,000 20 2 905 90 75 8 Total 3,415 5,035 655 13 3,845 76 535 11 Americas Colombia 560 400 40 10 315 80 40 10 Ecuador 1,240 600 5 1 525 87 70 12 Other 130 235 15 7 205 87 15 6 Total 1,930 1,230 60 5 1,045 85 125 10 Africa Algeria 95 235 40 17 135 58 60 25 Angola 110 500 90 18 385 78 20 4 Democratic Republic of Congo 20 195 30 15 120 62 40 21 Ethiopia 65 250 55 22 175 69 25 10 Gambia 210 380 25 6 330 87 25 7 Ghana 430 1,700 35 2 1,585 93 85 5 Ivory Coast 165 365 95 26 250 68 20 5 Kenya 360 860 85 10 730 85 50 6 Liberia 45 105 5 3 95 91 5 7 Nigeria 1,775 4,085 140 3 3,675 90 265 7 Sierra Leone 60 175 20 12 110 63 45 25 Somalia 15 25 5 19 20 67 5 15 Sudan 70 190 85 45 80 43 20 12 Tanzania 150 920 25 3 860 93 35 4 Uganda 215 495 50 10 420 85 25 5 Other 430 605 90 15 460 76 55 9 Total 4,225 11,085 875 8 9,425 85 785 7 Middle East Iran 35 150 60 40 75 51 15 9 Iraq 25 45 15 29 25 51 10 20 Lebanon 15 65 15 20 50 74 5 6 Other 40 100 15 13 75 72 15 15 Total 115 360 100 27 220 61 40 11 Asia Afghanistan 15 15 5 36 10 64 — 0 China 975 1,230 20 2 1,200 97 10 1 India 1,040 2,445 25 1 2,355 96 65 3 Pakistan 1,590 2,570 85 3 2,330 91 155 6 Sri Lanka 745 1,040 495 48 510 49 30 3 Other 320 210 10 4 185 87 20 9 Total 4,680 7,515 640 9 6,590 88 280 4 Other and nationality not known 30 95 20 22 75 75 5 3 Grant total 14,385 25,320 2,355 9 21,195 84 1,770 7 1Provisional estimated figures rounded to the nearest 5 with *=1 or 2. Figures might not add up to total due to rounding. Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding. 2Figures are based on the cases for which information is recorded on the Refugee Index. Bulletin "Asylum Statistics 1998", a copy of which is available in the Library. The information is given in the table.
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§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the places designated as clusters for the dispersal of asylum seekers, indicating the(a) population and (b) ethnic minority population of each. [160847]
§ Mrs. RocheThe areas designated as clusters are listed together with population figures. Research to identify the presence of ethnic minorities included advice received from consultation with regional consortium, voluntary groups and other interested parties plus evidence from the 1991 census. Actual statistics detailing the present ethnic minority population for each cluster area are not available.
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Region/cluster area Population estimate per cluster East Midlands Leicester 294,300 Derby 235,800 Nottingham 286,800 South Central and East Brighton and Hove 255,800 Hastings and St Leonards 81,400 Portsmouth 189,900 North East Darlington 101,400 Gateshead 198,900 Middlesbrough 145,100 Newcastle 276,100 North Tyneside 194,000 South Tyneside 154,600 Redcar and Cleveland 138,300 Hartlepool 91,900 Stockton on Tees 181,000 Sunderland 292,300 North West Manchester (Great Manchester) 429,800 Bolton (Great Manchester) 267,500 Bury (Great Manchester) 182,800 Oldham (Great Manchester) 219,200 Rochdale (Great Manchester) 208,200 Salford (Great Manchester) 225,900 Stockport (Great Manchester) 292,800 Tameside (Great Manchester) 220,400 Trafford (Great Manchester) 220,300 Wigan (Great Manchester) 310,500 Burnley 91,000 Blackburn 140,000 Liverpool 461,500 Nelson 29,120 Scotland Glasgow 619,680 Edinburgh 450,180 South West Bristol 402,300 Gloucester 107,400 Swindon 179,700 Taunton and Bridgewater 199,700 Exeter 111,000 South Gloucestershire 241,000 Torbay 123,000 North Somerset 188,700 Bath 167,300 Plymouth 253,000 East of England Ipswich 113,900 Norwich 124,000 Cambridge 120,600 Great Yarmouth 89,300 Peterborough 156,000
Region/cluster area Population estimate per cluster Wales Wrexham 125,200 Cardiff 320,900 Newport 139,200 Swansea 229,500 Bridgend and Porthcawl 131,400 West Midlands Birmingham 1,013,400 Coventry 304,300 Dudley 311,500 Sandwell 290,500 Solihull 205,600 Stoke on Trent 251,500 Walsall 261,200 Wolverhampton 241,600 Yorkshire and Humberside Bradford/Keighley 483,300 Doncaster 290,500 Halifax 91,069 Hull 261,800 Kirklees 390,900 Leeds 727,400 Rotherham 254,400 Sheffield 531,100 Barnsley 228,100 Grimsby 90,703 Wakefield 318,800 1Shown as Taunton Deane
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the places on which he plans to confer cluster status for the dispersal of asylum seekers, indicating the(a) population and (b) ethnic minority population of each. [160848]
§ Mrs. RocheThere are already 71 cluster areas in existence, and research and consultation through the regional consortium continue in order to identify other suitable areas.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will define the boundaries of the Grimsby cluster for the dispersal of asylum seekers; and what proportion of the population the ethnic minority population represents. [160849]
§ Mrs. RocheThe boundary of the cluster area for Grimsby is centred on the town itself. Statistics showing what proportion of the population are from ethnic minorities are not available.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers he intends to disperse to the Grimsby cluster; and what proportion of these will be accommodated by(a) the local council and (b) private accommodation providers. [160850]
§ Mrs. RocheAt present the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has procured 57 bedspaces through the private sector in Grimsby, and, while further accommodation is being explored, we are not seeking to disperse large numbers there. The intention is to achieve a fair and equitable dispersal.
§ Mr. MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals for widening the Grimsby cluster for asylum seekers to include Cleethorpes; and what effect they will have on the size of the ethnic minority population of the cluster. [160852]
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§ Mrs. RocheThe National Asylum Support Service continuously researches and seeks advice on possible new cluster areas. There has been no proposal to include Cleethorpes as part of the Grimsby cluster area.