Asylum Seekers (Throckmorton Airfield) (Hansard, 19 April 2002)

§ Sir Michael Spicer
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the additional funding required for(a) policing and (b) fire services if an asylum seekers centre were to be established at Throckmorton airfield; [48727]
(2) what assessment he has made of the additional funding required for (a) transport and (b) housing if an asylum seekers centre were to be established at Throckmorton airfield. [48725]

§ Angela Eagle
In making final decisions on preferred sites, we will take all the relevant factors into account including those to which the hon Member refers. These assessments have not yet been made.

§ Mr. Hancock
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum cases have been dealt with over the last three years; how many cases have succeeded after the appeal process; how many cases have been refused; how many of those refused did not seek 1259W appeal; how many of those denied asylum have been removed from the UK; how many left voluntarily; how many are awaiting removal; and if he will make a statement. [47390]

Table 1: Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and initial decisions^1,2, 1999–2001

Number of principal applicants

Cases considered under normal procedures⁵ Backlog clearance exercise⁶

Applications received³ Initial Decisions⁴ Granted asylum Granted ELR Refused Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria Refused under backlog criteria⁷

1999 71,160 33,720 7,815 2,465 11,025 11,140 1,275

2000^p 80,315 109,205 10,375 11,495 75,680 10,325 1,335

2001^p 71,700 118,195 10,960 19,510 87,725 — —

Total^p 223,170 261,125 29,150 33,470 174,430 21,470 2,605

¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5. with * = 1 or 2.

² Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.

³ May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices between January and March 2000.

⁴ Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

⁵ Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria.

⁶ Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.

⁷ Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.

^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.

Information on the numbers of appeals allowed and dismissed at the adjudicator stage is given in Table 2.

Table 2: Outcome of Asylum Appeals at Adjudicator Stage, 1999–2001¹

Number of principal appellants

Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Total

1999 5,280 11,135 3,050 19,460

2000^p 3,340 15,580 475 19,395

2001^p 8,155 34,440 825 43,415

Table 3: Outcome of Asylum Appeals at Tribunal Stage, 1999–2001^1,2

Appellant³ Secretary of State³

Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Total Determined⁴

1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

2000^p 560 730 110 130 115 25 2,635

2001^p 1,305 830 100 270 100 15 3,190

Total^p 1,865 1,560 270 400 270 45 5,825

¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

² Appeals to the Tribunal can be brought be the appellant or the Secretary of State against a decision of an adjudicator. The figures do not distinguish and will include appeals brought by appellants and the Secretary of State.

³ Total of these figures will not equal total determined in final column as these figures relate to cases for which information is known by the Home Office.

⁴ Based on data supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department.

^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.

Information on the numbers of Judicial Reviews which were allowed, dismissed and withdrawn, for which data are available, is given in Table 4.

Table 4: Outcome of Asylum Appeals at Judicial Review, 1999–2001^1,2

Number of principal appellants

Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Total

1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a

2000^p 365 300 95 755

2001^p 260 60 65 390

Total^p 625 360 160 1,145

1260W

§ Angela Eagle
Information for 1999 to 2001 on applications for asylum, and initial decisions made, is shown in Table 1. However these initial decisions do not all relate to applications made between 1999 and 2001.

Table 2: Outcome of Asylum Appeals at Adjudicator Stage, 1999–2001¹

Number of principal appellants

Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn Total

Total^p 16,770 61,155 4,350 82,275

¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.

Information on the numbers of further appeals to the Tribunal which were allowed, dismissed and withdrawn, for which data are available, is given in Table 3.

¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

² Figures refer to substantive judicial reviews (exclude permission applications). The figures also exclude asylum support judicial reviews.

^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.

Information on the numbers refused at the initial decision stage who did not appeal is not available for the last three years and could only be obtained by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost. However analysis of electronic data based on cases where data are available, indicated that around 50–60 per cent of refusals result in an appeal.
1261W
It is not possible to determine how many persons, denied asylum in this period, have been removed or await removal. The total number of asylum seekers (excluding dependants) removed in the last three years is given in Table 5. These figures include persons applying for asylum prior to 1999, and those departing voluntarily. The table identifies persons leaving voluntarily under Assisted Voluntary Return programmes. Others departing voluntarily after enforcement action has been initiated are included within the total numbers removed but cannot be separately identified. It is also not possible to say how many persons depart without informing the Immigration Service.

Table 5: Asylum applicants removed from the United Kingdom, 1999–2001

Number of principal applicants

Principal asylum applicants removed^1,2 Of which, Assisted Voluntary Returns³

1999 7,660 50

2000^p 8,980 550

2001^p,4 9,285 995

Total^p,4 25,925 1,595

¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

² Includes persons departing "voluntarily" after enforcement action had been initiated against them and persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration.

⁴ Persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes. Figures exclude 1,055 dependants of asylum seekers who were removed in the period April to December 2001. Data on dependants removed have only been collected since April 2001.

^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.

Information on initial decisions, asylum appeals and removals is published quarterly. The next publication will cover the period up to March 2002, and will be available from 31 May 2002 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigrationl.html.

§ Tony Baldry
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether residents of accommodation centres for asylum seekers will be able to go to and fro as they wish. [48939]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 15 April 2002]: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh West (Mr. Barrett) on 18 March 2002, Official Report, column 98W.

§ Tony Baldry
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sum his Department will transfer from its budget to the Ministry of Defence in respect of land vacated by the Ministry of Defence logistics at Bicester if such land is used by his Department as an accommodation centre for asylum seekers; and by whom, and how, such sums have been calculated. [48949]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 15 April 2002]: Ministry of Defence and Home Office officials are in contact on this issue, although no agreement has as yet been reached.

§ Tony Baldry
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 February to the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire (Mr. Luff),Official Report, column 57W, on asylum accommodation centres, what further sites his Department has identified 1262W through procurement competition as possible sites for accommodation centres for asylum seekers; and if he will specify the sites and the criteria used in their selection. [48952]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 15 April 2002]: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire (Mr. Luff) on 7 February 2002, Official Report, column 1134W.
No further sites have as yet been identified.

§ Tony Baldry
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in relation to land vacated by Ministry of Defence Logistics at Bicester, what consultations(a) have taken and (b) will take place with members of the local community; and how consultation has been or will be carried out in respect of the proposal to establish an accommodation centre for asylum seekers on this land. [48943]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 15 April 2002]: Officials are discussing with relevant planning authorities the best way of consulting the public and other interested parties in the areas identified as having potential accommodation centre sites.

§ Tony Baldry
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of the establishment of accommodation centres for asylum seekers, if there will be compensation payable to householders living nearby whose property may be reduced in value as a consequence of the setting up of such accommodation centres. [48935]

§ Angela Eagle
[holding answer 15 April 2002]: We do not anticipate grounds for compensation of this nature.

Table 1: Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and initial decisions^1,2, 1999–2001
Number of principal applicants
			Cases considered under normal procedures⁵	Backlog clearance exercise⁶
	Applications received³	Initial Decisions⁴	Granted asylum	Granted ELR	Refused	Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria	Refused under backlog criteria⁷
1999	71,160	33,720	7,815	2,465	11,025	11,140	1,275
2000^p	80,315	109,205	10,375	11,495	75,680	10,325	1,335
2001^p	71,700	118,195	10,960	19,510	87,725		— —
Total^p	223,170	261,125	29,150	33,470	174,430	21,470	2,605
¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5. with * = 1 or 2.
² Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.
³ May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices between January and March 2000.
⁴ Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
⁵ Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria.
⁶ Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
⁷ Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.

Table 2: Outcome of Asylum Appeals at Adjudicator Stage, 1999–2001¹
Number of principal appellants
	Allowed	Dismissed	Withdrawn	Total
1999	5,280	11,135	3,050	19,460
2000^p	3,340	15,580	475	19,395
2001^p	8,155	34,440	825	43,415

Table 3: Outcome of Asylum Appeals at Tribunal Stage, 1999–2001^1,2
	Appellant³	Secretary of State³
	Allowed	Dismissed	Withdrawn	Allowed	Dismissed	Withdrawn	Total Determined⁴
1999	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
2000^p	560	730	110	130	115	25	2,635
2001^p	1,305	830	100	270	100	15	3,190
Total^p	1,865	1,560	270	400	270	45	5,825
¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
² Appeals to the Tribunal can be brought be the appellant or the Secretary of State against a decision of an adjudicator. The figures do not distinguish and will include appeals brought by appellants and the Secretary of State.
³ Total of these figures will not equal total determined in final column as these figures relate to cases for which information is known by the Home Office.
⁴ Based on data supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department.
^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.

Table 4: Outcome of Asylum Appeals at Judicial Review, 1999–2001^1,2
Number of principal appellants
	Allowed	Dismissed	Withdrawn	Total
1999	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
2000^p	365	300	95	755
2001^p	260	60	65	390
Total^p	625	360	160	1,145

Table 5: Asylum applicants removed from the United Kingdom, 1999–2001
Number of principal applicants
	Principal asylum applicants removed^1,2	Of which, Assisted Voluntary Returns³
1999	7,660	50
2000^p	8,980	550
2001^p,4	9,285	995
Total^p,4	25,925	1,595
¹ Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
² Includes persons departing "voluntarily" after enforcement action had been initiated against them and persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration.
⁴ Persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes. Figures exclude 1,055 dependants of asylum seekers who were removed in the period April to December 2001. Data on dependants removed have only been collected since April 2001.
^p Figures for 2000 and 2001 are provisional and subject to change.