HC Deb 16 October 2001 vol 372 cc1192-4W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for asylum, broken down by country of origin, have had their applications refused in the last four years; and how many are known(a) to have left the United Kingdom and (b) to have remained within the United Kingdom. [7118]

Angela Eagle

Data on initial decisions on asylum applications refused asylum or exceptional leave to remain, by nationality, for 2000 are given in the table. This does not include details of appeals outcomes or of asylum seekers who are subsequently given leave to remain on other grounds.

Information on the numbers of asylum seekers removed from the United Kingdom, by nationality, is not currently available. The total numbers of known removals in each of the last four years, excluding dependants, are given in the table:

Initial decisions made on applications received: Refusals1,2,3 of asylum and exceptional leave, excluding dependants, by nationality, 1997 to 2000
Number of refusals of principal applicants
Nationality 1997 1998 19994 20005.6
Europe
Albania 175 260 175 1,875
Czech Republic 210 180 275 1,775
FRY 380 565 460 13,830
Poland 860 1,070 520 1,765
Romania 635 1,155 345 2,695
Russia 65 85 55 900
Turkey 1,475 1,015 290 2,090
Ukraine 190 430 80 1,045
Other Former USSR 545 1,260 465 3,285
Other Former Yugoslavia 170 140 180 1,280
Other 1,325 1,095 220 605
Total 6,030 7,260 3,065 31,145
Initial decisions made on applications received: Refusals1,2,3 of asylum and exceptional leave, excluding dependants, by nationality, 1997 to 2000
Number of refusals of principal applicants
Nationality 1997 1998 19994 20005,6
Americas
Colombia 380 810 155 1,775
Ecuador 740 1,000 135 650
Other 265 95 60 470
Total 1,385 1,905 350 2,900
Africa
Algeria 655 180 160 1,330
Angola 535 90 35 425
Democratic Republic of Congo 255 110 50 990
Ethiopia 185 60 35 355
Gambia 430 165 15 30
Ghana 1,330 425 130 225
Ivory Coast 175 285 75 265
Kenya 980 630 495 785
Nigeria 4,315 1,840 780 770
Rwanda 15 35 150 440
Sierra Leone 380 525 120 480
Somalia 305 100 120 2,365
Sudan 205 65 50 395
Tanzania 485 140 30 60
Uganda 525 120 55 480
Zimbabwe 115 45 105 525
Other 845 640 465 1,860
Total 11,740 5,465 2,875 11,780
Middle east
Iran 170 125 75 2,815
Iraq 110 90 100 2,220
Other 260 135 110 945
Total 540 350 285 5,975
Asia
Afghanistan 75 65 90 1,515
Bangladesh 555 275 375 870
China 1,380 1,500 200 5,480
India 2,395 1,450 750 2,125
Pakistan 2,870 1,950 990 3,720
Sri Lanka 1,710 1,950 1,945 6,875
Other 240 145 70 1,015
Total 9,225 7,335 4,415 21,600
Other, and nationality not known 20 * 40 2,280
Grand total 28,945 22,315 11,025 75,680
1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with *=1 or 2
2 Information is of initial determination decisions excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions
3 Includes refusals on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country and non-compliance refusals, for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period: see explanatory note 6
4 Exclude cases where an application has been refused under the backlog criteria
5 May include some cases where an application has been refused under the backlog criteria
6 Provisional figures

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been housed in cluster areas in Essex by the National Asylum Support Service in the last 12 months; and what support is being provided to community groups and public services in these areas. [6282]

Angela Eagle

To date the National Asylum Support Service has not established any cluster areas in Essex.

Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the most recent information he has concerning the detention of asylum seekers under immigration law; and how many were detained, broken down by(a) location (b) number of applicants detained and (c) number of appellants detained. [7282]

Angela Eagle

[holding answer 15 October 2001]The latest available information on the number of asylum seekers detained under Immigration Act powers by place of detention relates to 30 June 2001 and is given in the table. Information on the stage of asylum application is not available and could be obtained only by examining individual case files at disproportionate cost.

Detained asylum seekers1 as at 30 June 20012
Location Number
Belmarsh 40
Brixton 10
Campsfield House 180
Cardiff 40
Dover Harbour 5
Harmondsworth 65
Haslar 145
High Down 40
Holme House 55
Lindholme 95
Liverpool 70
Longport 10
Manchester Airport 10
Rochester 160
Tinsley House 105
Wandsworth 50
Winchester 35
Wormwood Scrubs 20
Other prison establishments3 120
Oakington Reception Centre 265
Total 1,515
1 Persons detained under Immigration Act powers who are recorded as having sought asylum at some point.
2 Figures rounded to the nearest five, and exclude persons detained in police cells. Figures include 135 persons who are recorded as being detained under dual immigration and other powers.
3 Other prison establishments with five or fewer detainees.