§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been detained at Oakington since its opening; and of these how many have(a) left Oakington for accommodation provided by NASS, (b) left Oakington for other accommodation and (c) been detained in other establishments immediately after leaving Oakington. [42948]
§ Angela Eagle11,895 principal asylum applicants were accepted at Oakington between 20 March 2000 and 31 December 2001. Provisional data, which is subject to revision, show that approximately 20 per cent. of these were detained in other establishments immediately after leaving Oakington. Corresponding information about the destination of those released on temporary admission on leaving Oakington is not presently available.
§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are awaiting decisions as to whether their application for asylum has been accepted. [43017]
§ Angela EagleThere were 39,400 asylum applications awaiting an initial decision on 31 December 2001, less than half the 87,800 on 31 December 2000. This figure relates to the number of cases ie the number of principal applicants.
Information on the number of cases awaiting an initial decision (including work in progress) is published quarterly on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ rds/immigration1.htm.
§ Mr. ColemanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support in vouchers and cash is provided by NASS to support asylum seekers. [43239]
§ Angela EagleColumn A of the table sets out current levels of financial support. This is provided in vouchers and includes one for £10 which can be exchanged for cash. Column B of the table sets out the level of support which will be provided with effect from 8 April 2002. This support will be provided wholly in cash.
595W
£ Column A Column B Qualifying couple 57.37 59.26 Lone parent aged 18 or over 36.54 37.77 Single person aged 25 or over 36.54 37.77 Single person aged at least 18 but under 25 28.95 29.89 Person aged at least 16 but under 181 31.75 32.50 Person aged under 16 30.95 33.50 1 Except a member of a qualifying couple. Asylum seekers in receipt of the full support package (accommodation and subsistence) receive fully furnished accommodation including cooking utensils. Council tax and utilities are paid for centrally.
§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are resident in(a) the Gainsborough constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. [44643]
§ Angela EagleThe information is not available in the form requested. We currently only have statistics on the number of asylum seekers supported directly by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).
The only cluster area to which NASS disperses asylum seekers in Lincolnshire is Lincoln. As at the end of December 2001, 70 asylum seekers (including dependants) were being supported in NASS accommodation in Lincoln. Some asylum seekers supported by NASS find their own accommodation and receive subsistence only support (vouchers) from NASS. From available information, as at the end of December 2001, there were 500 asylum seekers (including dependants) in receipt of subsistence only support (vouchers) in the East Midlands Region (which includes Lincolnshire). Figures are not currently available by constituency for those asylum seekers supported by the NASS.
§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers whose applications have been refused have been removed from the United Kingdom during the last year for which figures are available. [44642]
§ Angela EagleProvisionally, there were 9,285 principal asylum applicants (to the nearest five) removed from the United Kingdom in 2001. Further information is given in the table.
Asylum removals in 20011,2 Principal applicants removed Dependants removed3 Total asylum seekers removed Q1 2,070 n/a n/a Q2 2,375 215 2,590 Q3 2,385 355 2,745 Q4 2,450 485 2,935 1 Provisional figures, rounded to the nearest five. Figures may not sum due to rounding. 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 (IOM). 3 Data on dependants of asylum seekers removed have only been collected since April 2001. Information on the number of asylum removals is published on a quarterly basis. Information for the first quarter (January to March) of 2002 will be published 596W on 31 May 2002 on the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website http:// www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
§ Mrs. EllmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last received a letter from the chief constable of Merseyside concerning the future housing of asylum seekers in Landmark and Inn on the Park in Everton, Liverpool; and if he will make a statement. [44105]
§ Angela Eagle[holding answer 18 March 2002]: A letter from the chief constable of Merseyside police concerning the future housing of asylum seekers in Landmark and Inn on the Park in Everton, Liverpool was received on 12 March 2002. We are reviewing the situation in the light of his comments.