§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of applicants per week who, from 8 January 2003, will no longer be eligible for support as a result of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; what steps he will take to monitor the number of in-country asylum applicants refused National Asylum Support Service assistance as a result of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, whose claim for asylum is subsequently refused on the grounds of non-compliance; and if he will make a statement. [85820]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 10 December 2002]Based on an analysis of recent intake it is estimated that, from 8 January 2003, 700 applicants per week (ie an average of about 100 per day) would fall into the category of people who could no longer be eligible for support as a result of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (the 2002 Act) unless they could show that they had made their asylum application as soon as reasonably practicable after entering the United Kingdom.
635WFrom 8 January 2003, there will be detailed internal monitoring of the numbers refused National Asylum Support Service support as a result of section 55 of the 2002 Act. This information will be used to track each case through to service of the initial decision on the asylum application and to monitor the number subsequently refused on the grounds of non-compliance.