§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many decisions were made on asylum applications in each year from 1997–2002; and what percentage were granted asylum, including those granted on appeal; [125338]
Table 1: Initial asylum decisions in the United Kingdom1, 2, 1997 to 2002 Number of principal applicants 1997 1998 1999 2000 20013 20023 Total initial decisions4 36,045 31,570 33,720 109,205 119,015 82,715 Cases considered under normal procedures5 Total 36,045 31,570 21,305 97,545 119,015 82,715 Granted asylum 3,985 5,345 7,815 10,375 11,180 8,100 Granted asylum (percentage) 11 17 37 11 9 10 Granted ELR 3,115 3,910 2,465 11,495 19,845 19,965 Granted ELR (percentage) 9 12 12 12 17 24 Refused 28,945 22,315 11,925 75,680 87,990 54,650 Refused (Percentage) 80 71 52 78 74 66 Backlog clearance exercise6 Total — — 12,415 11,660 — — Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria — — 11,140 10,325 — — Granted asylum or ELR under backlog criteria (percentage) — — 90 89 — — Refused under backlog criteria7 — — 1,275 1,3365 — — Refused under backlog criteria7 (percentage) — — 10 11 — — 1 Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest five. 2 Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period. 3 Figures for 2001 and 2002 are provisional and subject to change. 4 Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. 5 Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria. 6 Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog. 7 Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds. 60W
Table 2: Outcome of asylum appeals determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority, 1997–20021,2 Number of principal appellants Total determined Allowed (percentage) Dismissed (percentage) Withdrawn (percentage) 1997 21,090 6 86 8 1998 25,320 9 84 7 1999 19,460 27 57 16 2000 19,395 17 80 2 20013 43,415 19 79 2 20023 64,405 22 76 3 1 Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest five. 2 Appeals figures do not necessarily relate to initial decisions made in the same period. 3 Figures for 2002 are provisional and subject to change. (2) how many applicants for asylum were granted exceptional leave to remain in each year from 1997–2002; and what percentage this was of the total number of applications. [125339]
§ Beverley HughesFollowing changes to policy in relation to granting of exceptional leave to remain (ELR) in the second half of 2002, the proportion granted ELR fell in Q3 2002 and in Q4 2002.
The available information is provided in the tables. This shows that the initial decision figures for any given year do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same year. Similarly, appeal outcomes for any given year do not necessarily relate to initial decisions in the same year.
It is estimated that (up to and including appeals at the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) 19 per cent. of applications made in 2000 and in 2001 resulted in grants of asylum. The corresponding figures for grants of ELR for applications made in 2000 and in 2001 were 14 per cent. and 23 per cent. respectively.
Precise information on the number of appeals that result in a grant of asylum or ELR could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.