HC Deb 09 January 2002 vol 377 cc893-5W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are being held in Northern Ireland in each(a) prison and (b) other location permitted to do so. [18855]

Angela Eagle

The latest available information on the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers relates to 30 September 2001. As at that date, the only establishment in Northern Ireland that held Immigration Act detainees who had claimed asylum at some stage was Her Majesty's Prison Maghaberry, at which less than five such persons were being held.

Information on immigration detainees as at 31 December 2001 will be published on 28 February 2002 on the Home Office web site at http: //www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ immigration1.html.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been detained for more than six months in Northern Ireland. [18856]

Angela Eagle

The available information relates to persons detained under Immigration Act powers as at 30 September 2001. As at that date, there were no persons who had sought asylum at some stage who have been detained for more than six months in Northern Ireland.

Information on immigration detainees as at 31 September 2001 will be published on 28 February 2002 on the Home Office web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals seeking asylum in the UK have been located in the Buckingham constituency since the introduction of the Government's dispersal policy. [22657]

Angela Eagle

Figures are not available by constituency for those asylum seekers accommodated by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).

Statistics from NASS for the end of September 2001, show that 600 1,2 asylum seekers (including dependants) were being supported in NASS accommodation in the South Central region, which includes the Buckingham constituency

  • 1 Figures rounded to the nearest 10
  • 2 Cases which have had their support ceased are excluded from this figure.

Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people under the age of 16 years from overseas countries have entered the UK during the last 12 months and have claimed political asylum on entry. [22480]

Angela Eagle

During the last 12 months (September 2000 to August 2001), 2,002 applications for asylum were lodged at United Kingdom ports by unaccompanied children, under the age of 18. I regret that this information is not available for children under the age of 16.

Reliable information on the number of children who have entered the United Kingdom as asylum seekers, accompanied by an adult, is not readily available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.

Chris Ruane

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of asylum seekers had degrees in each of the last 10 years. [25018]

Angela Eagle

The information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only by examining individual case records and by consulting the asylum seekers themselves, and it is, therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Forward to