§ Mr. MalinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the average length of time spent at Yarl's Wood is from arrival to removal from this country; [38664]
(2) whether any persons at Yarl's Wood awaiting removal have been at Yarl's Wood for over (a) 14, (b) 21, (c) 28, (d) 35 and (e) 42 days; [38663]
393W(3) how many of those persons who are still at large following the Yarl's Wood fire are (a) current asylum seekers and (b) failed asylum seekers awaiting removal; [38665]
(4) if any of those removed from Yarl's Wood into prisons since the fire are current asylum seekers; [38668]
(5) what proportion of those who escaped from Yarl's Wood following the fire but were recaptured were (a) current asylum seekers and (b) failed asylum seekers awaiting removal; [38671]
(6) how many of the persons detained at Yarl's Wood are (a) awaiting removal and (b) in the process of making an asylum claim. [38666]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 28 February 2002]In terms of the status of those individuals who have been transferred to Prison Service accommodation from Yarl's Wood, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend, the Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle) on 20 March 2002,Official Report, column 411W.
The majority of the individuals who are considered to be at large from Yarl's Wood are failed asylum seekers who were detained pending their removal or the outcome of outstanding appeals.
The remaining information requested is not available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many clandestine entrants were found in(a) freight trains and (b) lorries in each year since 1997. [68806]
§ Beverley HughesThe figures for clandestine entrants found in freight trains have only been recorded separately since 2001.
In 2001, locally collated, provisional statistics show that 1,563 clandestines arrived at Dollands Moor rail freight depot having boarded an open sided freight shuttle. For the 1st quarter of 2002 the figure was 454.
The annual figures for clandestine entrants found in lorries and dealt with by Dover Immigration staff were 969 in 1997, 3,274 in 1998, 8,961 in 1999, 12,717 in 2000 and 6,397 in 2001. For the 1st quarter of 2002 the figure is 2,709.
§ Hugh RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the asylum application of a constituent the name of whom has been communicated to him. [70362]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 16 July 2002]The hon. Gentleman's constituent's application for asylum was refused on 30 August 2000 and an independent adjudicator upheld this decision on 23 March 2001. He currently has an application for leave to remain here on the basis of marriage, on 15 June 2001, to a British Citizen. On 6 November 2001 the hon. Gentleman's constituent was asked to provide further information in support of this application and I understand that he passed this to his solicitors to forward to the Home Office. This has not been received and my officials will be contacting him shortly to provide further information regarding his marriage.