Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 29 January 2003)

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were refused in an initial decision in each year since 1997; and how many of these were subsequently allowed on appeal. [93325]

§ Beverley Hughes
The tables show the number of asylum applicants refused in an initial decision in each year from 1997 to 2001 and the number of appeals allowed in each of those years.
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Not all initial decisions to refuse an application result in an appeal. It is estimated that around 77 per cent. of refusals of applications made in 2001 resulted in an appeal, and that around a fifth of those appeals were allowed. The appeals allowed figures given in the following table do not necessarily relate to the refusals in the same year. These could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Appeals determined by adjudicators

Total Allowed As % of total determined⁵ Total Dismissed As % of total determined⁵ Total Withdrawn As % of total determined⁵

1997 1,180 (6) 18,145 (86) 1,720 (8)

1998 2,355 (9) 21,195 (84) 1,770 (7)

1999 5,280 (27) 11,135 (57) 3,050 (16)

2000 3,340 (17) 15,580 (80) 475 (2)

2001^6,7 8,155 (19) 34,440 (79) 825 (2)

¹Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding,

²Figures for 1997 to 2000 are based on manual counts of data received in Appeals Support Section of the Home Office. Some cases are received elsewhere in the Home Office before being forwarded to ASS and so may be counted in a later month than when they arrived in the Home Office.

³Figures for 1997 and 1995 represent the number of appeals sent to the IAA by the Home Office.

⁴Based on information supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Determinations do not necessarily relate to appeals received in the same period.

⁵Percentages based on total determined excluding without foundation appeals referred to Secretary of State for further consideration. Based on data supplied by the Presenting Officers Unit within the Home Office (October 1999–December 2001).

⁶Appeals received by the Appeals Support Section based on electronic sources.

⁷Provisional figures.

Asylum statistics are published quarterly. The latest published figures give information up to and including September 2002. The next publication giving figures up to and including December 2002 will be available from 28 February 2003 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration 1.html.

§ Mr. Rosindell
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum seekers have been denied asylum in the UK in the last 12 months; and what percentage have been deported; [92838]
(2) how many asylum seekers from Algeria have been denied asylum in the UK in the last 12 months; and what percentage have been deported. [92839]

§ Beverley Hughes
In the period October 2001 to September 2002, 84,625 initial decisions were made on asylum cases, of which 1,185 had been lodged by Algerian nationals. In this period, 56,025 cases were refused asylum and exceptional leave to remain (ELR), of which 1,125 were Algerian. This information relates to cases and therefore excludes dependants.
Information on the number of these cases that were removed within the same period is not available except by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost. However, 10,300 principal asylum applicants were
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Appeals received by the Appeals Support Section ² Appeals received by the IAA ³ Total determined ⁴

1997 20,950 22,385 21,090

1998 14,320 15,440 25,320

1999 6,615 7,775 19,460

2000 46,4190 28,935 19,395

2001^6,7 74,365 47,905 43,415

removed in this period. Estimates of principal asylum applicants removed show 110 Algerian nationals removed in the period October 2001 to June 2002. Corresponding data for the period July to September 2002 will be available following publication of the next quarterly asylum statistics.
The number of asylum applications from Algerians increased between 1993 and 1995 from 275 to a peak of 1,865.
Information on the number of asylum decisions and removals is published quarterly on the Home Office website at. The next publication will be available from 28 February and will cover the final quarter of 2002.

§ Mr. Jon Owen Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Afghan nationals sought asylum in Britain in the last five years for which data is available; and were(a) accepted and (b) rejected in each year; and how many were returned to Afghanistan or third countries. [92981]

§ Beverley Hughes
The available data on applications and initial decisions are included in the table. However, data on initial decisions are independent of applications data, and do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period.
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Applications received for asylum in the UK, excluding dependents, and initial decisions, for nationals of Afghanistan, 1997 to 2001 and January to September¹

Year Applications² Total initial decisions³ Cases considered under normal procedures⁴ Backlog clearance exercises⁵

Grants of asylum Grants of ELR Total refusals Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria ⁶ Refused under backlog criteria

1997 1,085 730 20 635 75 ¹— ¹—

1998 2,395 1,600 35 1,500 65 ¹— ¹—

1999 3,975 1,295 15 1,180 90 10 ¹—

2000 5,555 2,590 375 695 1,515 10 ¹—

2001 9,000 12,155 2,260 7,370 2,530 ¹— ¹—

2002 6,035 6,910 80 4,565 2,265 ¹— ¹—

¹Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with "—" = 0.

²May exclude some cases lodged at local enforcement offices between January 1999 and March 2000.

³Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.

⁴Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under backlog criteria.

⁵Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.

⁶Includes cases where asylum or Exceptional Leave to Remain has been granted under the backlog criteria.

The latest available data on removals of Afghan nationals who have sought asylum at some stage are given in the table.

Removals and voluntary departures of Afghan principal asylum

applicants, excluding dependants¹

Number

1997 40

1998³ 15

1999 n/a

2000 n/a

2001^2,3,4 125

January to June 2002^3,4 234

¹Includes persons departing "voluntarily" after enforcement action has been initiated against them, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Returns Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration, and removals on safe third country grounds.

²Figure may include a small number of dependants leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes.

³Data have been estimated due to data quality issues.

⁴Provisional data.

Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
Data on applications in the period October to December 2002 and removals by nationality in the period July to September 2002 are due to be published at the end of February 2003 on the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/whatsnewl.html

§ Mr. Philip Hammond
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will exclude Silverlands at Chertsey, Surrey from consideration for accommodation for asylum seekers. [92999]

§ Beverley Hughes
Chertsey is not within a designated dispersal area for asylum seekers requiring accommodation. Similarly for the trial of accommodation centres we are looking to provide accommodation away from London and Kent.
All adult asylum seekers will be required to attend an induction centre irrespective of whether they require support including accommodation. We are proposing a national network of induction centres and it is envisaged these will be up and running by the end of 2003. The 906W National Asylum Support Service (NASS) is currently considering options for accommodation to support the Induction Centre to meet the needs of asylum seekers arriving in London and the South East.

§ Mr. Paul Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to use(a) hotels, (b) hostels and (c) country homes in Shropshire as induction centres to house asylum seekers. [93017]
We are intending to have a national network of induction centres which are being introduced on a phased basis. To date we have opened one induction centre in Kent and are in the process of negotiating contracts for accommodation to support an induction centre for asylum seekers making their claim in London and the south east. The third phase of the project is to provide induction centres in regional areas. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) has invited expressions of interest from each regional consortium. The West Midlands consortium, which includes Shropshire, has expressed an interest but has indicated to NASS that it is not currently considering using any properties in Shropshire.

§ Tony Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to monitor the impact of the withdrawal of asylum support for in-country applicants on asylum seekers in the UK. [92726]

§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 23 January 2003]Under section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, those people who make their asylum claim as soon as reasonably practicable on arrival in the UK, will continue to receive the support they need. The Home Office is working in close consultation with local authorities and voluntary sector organisations to establish the best way in which the impact of the changes may be monitored on the ground.

§ Tony Worthington
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what impact he estimates the withdrawal of asylum support for in-country applicants will have on the numbers of homeless people living in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [92727]
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§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 23 January 2003]Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 prevents the provision of support to asylum seekers who do not make their asylum claim as soon as reasonably practicable on arrival at a port in the UK. The purpose of the new policy is to ensure that those wishing to seek asylum do so at the earliest opportunity. If this purpose is fulfilled, there is no reason to suppose that there will be an increase in the number of homeless people. Since 8 January 2003, when the new policy was introduced, there has been no indication of increased homelessness.

Cases of computer misuse

Department 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Home Office ¹— 2 9 34 77

Disciplinary Cases ¹— 2 8 30 ²74

Prison Service Agency ¹— ¹— 2 ¹— 3

Disciplinary Cases ¹— ¹— 2 ¹— 3

UK Passport Agency ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— 1

Disciplinary Cases ¹— ¹— ¹— ¹— 1

Forensic Science Service ¹— 8 6 2 ³43

Disciplinary Cases ¹— 5 1 2 5

¹Indicates that no comprehensive figures are available.

²Figure includes some cases dealt with by local management.

³Includes cases in which informal local action taken.

	Appeals determined by adjudicators
	Total	Allowed As % of total determined⁵	Total	Dismissed As % of total determined⁵	Total	Withdrawn As % of total determined⁵
1997	1,180	(6)	18,145	(86)	1,720	(8)
1998	2,355	(9)	21,195	(84)	1,770	(7)
1999	5,280	(27)	11,135	(57)	3,050	(16)
2000	3,340	(17)	15,580	(80)	475	(2)
2001^6,7	8,155	(19)	34,440	(79)	825	(2)
¹Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest five. Numbers might not add up due to rounding,
²Figures for 1997 to 2000 are based on manual counts of data received in Appeals Support Section of the Home Office. Some cases are received elsewhere in the Home Office before being forwarded to ASS and so may be counted in a later month than when they arrived in the Home Office.
³Figures for 1997 and 1995 represent the number of appeals sent to the IAA by the Home Office.
⁴Based on information supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Determinations do not necessarily relate to appeals received in the same period.
⁵Percentages based on total determined excluding without foundation appeals referred to Secretary of State for further consideration. Based on data supplied by the Presenting Officers Unit within the Home Office (October 1999–December 2001).
⁶Appeals received by the Appeals Support Section based on electronic sources.
⁷Provisional figures.

	Appeals received by the Appeals Support Section ²	Appeals received by the IAA ³	Total determined ⁴
1997	20,950	22,385	21,090
1998	14,320	15,440	25,320
1999	6,615	7,775	19,460
2000	46,4190	28,935	19,395
2001^6,7	74,365	47,905	43,415

Applications received for asylum in the UK, excluding dependents, and initial decisions, for nationals of Afghanistan, 1997 to 2001 and January to September¹
Year	Applications²	Total initial decisions³	Cases considered under normal procedures⁴	Backlog clearance exercises⁵
			Grants of asylum	Grants of ELR	Total refusals	Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria ⁶	Refused under backlog criteria
1997	1,085	730	20	635	75	¹—	¹—
1998	2,395	1,600	35	1,500	65	¹—	¹—
1999	3,975	1,295	15	1,180	90	10	¹—
2000	5,555	2,590	375	695	1,515	10	¹—
2001	9,000	12,155	2,260	7,370	2,530	¹—	¹—
2002	6,035	6,910	80	4,565	2,265	¹—	¹—
¹Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with "—" = 0.
²May exclude some cases lodged at local enforcement offices between January 1999 and March 2000.
³Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.
⁴Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under backlog criteria.
⁵Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
⁶Includes cases where asylum or Exceptional Leave to Remain has been granted under the backlog criteria.

Removals and voluntary departures of Afghan principal asylum
applicants, excluding dependants¹
	Number
1997	40
1998³	15
1999	n/a
2000	n/a
2001^2,3,4	125
January to June 2002^3,4	234
¹Includes persons departing "voluntarily" after enforcement action has been initiated against them, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Returns Programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration, and removals on safe third country grounds.
²Figure may include a small number of dependants leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes.
³Data have been estimated due to data quality issues.
⁴Provisional data.

Cases of computer misuse
Department	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Home Office	¹—	2	9	34	77
Disciplinary Cases	¹—	2	8	30	²74
Prison Service Agency	¹—	¹—	2	¹—	3
Disciplinary Cases	¹—	¹—	2	¹—	3
UK Passport Agency	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	1
Disciplinary Cases	¹—	¹—	¹—	¹—	1
Forensic Science Service	¹—	8	6	2	³43
Disciplinary Cases	¹—	5	1	2	5
¹Indicates that no comprehensive figures are available.
²Figure includes some cases dealt with by local management.
³Includes cases in which informal local action taken.