§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he plans to issue to clarify the circumstances in which an in-country asylum applicant should be considered to have made their claim within a 'reasonably practicable period' for the purposes of determining whether they are entitled to support by the National Asylum Support Service; whether asylum seekers will be exempt from having to show that they have made their claim as soon as reasonably practicable if they are in-county applicants who(a) suffer from a recognised disability, (b) suffer from a serious physical, mental or psychological illness, (c) are pregnant, (d) suffer from serious trauma, (e) have been subject to human rights abuse, (f) are drug or alcohol dependent, and (g) are over the age of 60; and if he will make a statement. [85819]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 10 December 2002]Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 which comes into force on 8 January 2003, will prevent the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) from providing support unless the Secretary of State is satisfied that the person applied for asylum as soon as reasonably practicable after arrival in the United Kingdom.
Case-workers in NASS will receive training on how this new measure should be applied. In addition guidance will also be issued to local authorities.
I can confirm that in practice, if an applicant makes a claim immediately on arrival at the port then they will be able to access asylum support, provided they otherwise
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Asylum applications1 received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions2 on applications, October 2001 to September 20023 Principal applicants Somalia Iraq Applications Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Applications Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals 2001 October 550 790 220 155 415 565 635 65 210 360 November 420 805 255 170 380 595 505 70 165 265 December 385 500 195 120 185 640 530 50 195 285 2002 January 470 695 270 185 240 730 910 85 435 390 February 380 590 220 165 205 1,135 765 65 405 290 March 450 445 165 120 160 975 860 65 585 210 April 455 510 210 110 185 975 980 75 705 200 May 550 575 205 160 205 1,335 890 65 625 200 June 445 380 165 75 135 1,115 675 55 445 175 qualify. If the person fails, without good reason, to make an asylum claim immediately at the port of arrival then support will be refused.
Families with children will, however, receive asylum support even if they did not apply as soon as reasonably practicable.
In addition, those who claim asylum in-country following a significant change in circumstances in their country of origin (provided they make their asylum claim at the earliest possible opportunity following that change of circumstance) will be supported by NASS.
In addition asylum seekers who successfully show that a refusal of support by NASS will result, for example, in a breach of Article 3 European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) will be granted support by NASS.
Local authorities will continue to be able to provide support to asylum seekers under the National Assistance Act 1948 (or in Scotland the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968) but only where they are presently empowered to do so, ie where special needs have been identified so as to engage those provisions.
Whether the particular types of case which are referred to will be eligible for support will depend on whether, on the particular facts of the case, the claim for asylum has been made as soon as reasonably practicable and, if not, whether the case falls within one of the exceptions referred to above.
§ Mr. ColemanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers from(a) Somalia and (b) Iraq have had their applications (i) approved and (ii) refused in each of the last 12 months. [85676]
§ Beverley HughesThe tables show asylum applications and initial decisions and appeal outcomes for each of the last 12 months. Data on initial decisions are independent of applications data, and do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period. Appeal outcomes in any given time period do not necessarily relate to initial decisions made in the same period.
Information on asylum applications and initial decisions is published quarterly. The next publication will be available from 28 February 2003 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration 1.html.
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Asylum applications1 received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions2 on applications, October 2001 to September 20023 Principal applicants Somalia Iraq Applications Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Applications Total decisions Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals July 755 530 220 120 190 1,285 1,065 65 785 215 August 685 500 195 115 190 1,365 885 45 660 175 September 655 715 220 150 350 1,655 1,120 40 815 265 Total 6,205 7,040 2,545 1,655 2,840 12,365 9,820 755 6,030 3,035 1 Figures rounded to nearest 5, with'*' = 1 or 2. 2 Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. 3 Provisional data.
Outcome of asylum appeals brought by nationals of Somalia and Iraq, determined by Adjudicators of the IAA, October 2001 to September 2002 by month1 Principal appellants Somalia Iraq Total Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn2 Total Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn2 2001 October 90 15 55 20 255 60 175 25 November 90 30 50 15 280 60 185 35 December 100 20 65 15 230 40 165 25 2002 January 100 20 65 15 325 65 220 40 February 130 35 80 10 390 105 255 25 March 180 60 105 15 430 105 285 40 April 210 75 115 25 495 135 320 40 May 270 90 155 25 470 130 300 40 June 260 90 130 35 320 80 210 30 July 360 135 175 50 380 65 280 35 August 325 140 150 30 420 90 280 45 September 290 110 155 30 395 100 255 40 Total 2,405 810 1,305 285 4,390 1,035 2,940 420 1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5. Appeals do not necessarily relate to initial Home Office decisions in the same month. 2 Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office as well as the appellant.