§ Mr. ConnartyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children of asylum seekers under the age of 18 years are being held in the former prison at Dungavel in Scotland; and for what reason. [106114]
§ Beverley HughesA one-off exercise carried out on 2 April 2003 shows that 21 people were being held in Dungavel Immigration Service Removal Centre at that date who were recorded as being under 18 years of age.
Minors are detained only in two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; second, when unaccompanied, whilst alternative care arrangements are made and normally just overnight.
More detailed information or those in detention at 29 March 2003 is due to be published on 30 May on the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ whatsnew1.html
§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) adults and (b) children under the age of 18 are held in each asylum removal centre in the UK; and how many have been held (i) for less than a month, (ii) between one and three months, (iii) between three and six months and (iv) over six months. [107302]
§ Beverley HughesThe latest published information on the number of people held in each Immigration Service Removal Centre (IRC) is for 28 December 2002 and is given in the table. Information on the age of individual detainees is not collated centrally therefore information on the length of time that these people have been in detention is not available.
380W
Persons recorded as being held in Immigration Service Removal Centres at 28 December 2002 Total detainees Of whom asylum seekers1 Dover 190 155 Campsfield House 160 95 Harmondsworth 150 110 Hasl.ar 120 100 Lindholme 90 80 Tinsley House 85 45 Dungavel 80 55 Oakington 40 40 Total 920 680 Figures are rounded to nearest five. 1Persons detained solely under immigration Act powers who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage. Dungavel, Harmondsworth, Oakington and Tinsley House are the only Immigration Service Removal Centres that deal with family cases.
A one-off exercise was carried out on 2 April 2003 to assess the number of children under the age of 18 detained in these IRC's, the results of which are contained in the following table.
Immigration Service Removal Centre Children under 18 years of age in Detention at 2 April 2003 Dungavel 21 Harmondsworth 18 Oakington 14 Tinsley 3 Total 56 Minors are detained only in two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; second, when unaccompanied, whilst alternative care arrangements are made and normally just overnight.
More detailed information on those in detention at 29 March 2003 is due to be published on 30 May on the Home Office web-site: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnew1. html
§ John ThursoTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) adults and (b) children are held in each removal centre in the UK. [105765]
§ Beverley HughesThe latest information published information on the number of people held in each Immigration Service Removal Centre (IRC) is for 28 December 2002 and is given in the table. Information on the age of individual detainees is not collated centrally.
381W
Persons recorded as being held in Immigration Service Removal Centres at 28 December 2002 Total detainees of whom: asylum seekers1 Dover 190 155 Campsfield House 160 95 Harmondsworth 150 110 Haslar 120 100 Lindholme 90 80 Tinsley House 85 45
Persons recorded as being held in Immigration Service Removal Centres at 28 December 2002 Total detainees of whom: asylum seekers1 Dungavel 80 55 Oakington 40 40 Total 920 680 1Persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage. Note:
Figures are rounded to nearest five.
Dungavel, Harmondsworth, Oakington and Tinsley House are the only Immigration Service Removal Centres that deal with family cases. A one-off exercise was carried out on 2 April 2003 to assess the number of children under the age of 1 8 detained in these four IRC's, the results of which are contained in the following table.
Immigration Service Removal Centre Children under 18 years of age in detention at 2 April 2003 Dungavel 21 Harmondsworth 18 Oakington 14 Tinsley 3 Total 56 Minors are detained only in two limited circumstances: first, as part of a family group whose detention is considered appropriate; second, when unaccompanied, while alternative care arrangements are made and normally just overnight.
More detailed information on those in detention at 29 March 2003 is due to be published on 30 May on the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ whatsnew1.html
§ Mr Ian Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been brought against housing companies used by the Department for asylum seekers. [107318]
§ Beverley HughesThe National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has not taken legal action against any of its contractors. NASS is aware that one of its contractors has been involved in a dispute with a former subcontractor. NASS was not directly involved in this dispute. Their concern was for the safety of asylum seekers placed in accommodation affected by the dispute.
§ Mr Ian Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are given by the Department to(a) GPs, (b) schools, (c) social services, (d) job centres and (e) the legal profession in respect of asylum seekers. [107323]
§ Beverley HughesThe Home Office is responsible for meeting the direct needs of destitute asylum seekers and their dependants (accommodation and subsistence). Services such as education and health are provided in the same way as they are for anyone else moving into an area. Local Education Authorities (LEAs) have a statutory duty to ensure that education is available for all children of compulsory school age in their area, irrespective of a child's immigration status or rights of residence in a particular location. The Department for Education and382W Skills has produced guidance on supporting the education of asylum seeking and refugee children which covers good practice at both LEA and school level. The Department of Health is responsible for issuing guidance to primary care trusts/local authority social services respectively. Regional consortia have been established in each region of the UK and these include representatives from local councils, the education authorities and the National Health Service. Generally speaking asylum seekers are not allowed to work whilst their application for asylum is under consideration and no guidance is issued to Job Centres.
The Legal Services Commission has entered into contracts with competent legal representatives to provide legal representation to asylum seekers. The voluntary sector is grant funded by the National Asylum Support Service to provide one stop services in dispersal areas to assist asylum seekers.
§ Mr. FlookTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department's guidelines state that asylum seekers housed in cluster areas must be three miles or less from(a) a main post office and (b) a main rail station. [108008]
§ Beverley HughesThe accommodation provided by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) is chosen on the basis of suitability to house asylum seekers and their dependants within the cluster areas throughout the United Kingdom. The cluster areas are ideally based in towns and cities where suitable accommodation is available and where there is potential to provide a link with existing multi-cultural communities and to develop the support of local voluntary and community groups.
The accommodation within the cluster areas is also located within a three mile radius of the main post office. If the accommodation is located outside of this three mile radius, it is the responsibility of the accommodation provider to cover the cost of travel to the main post office in order for asylum seekers to collect their support payments. There is no requirement for accommodation to be provided within a certain distance of the railway station in each cluster area.
§ Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to deport failed asylum seekers from(a) Northern Iraq and (b) the rest of Iraq. [108022]
§ Beverley HughesIt is important that Iraqis start returning to their country once the conflict is over. We will start removing unsuccessful asylum seekers as soon as conditions make this possible.