§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi nationals from(a) the area of Iraq controlled by Saddam Hussein and (b) the Kurdish autonomous area have applied for asylum in the United Kingdom in each of the last 12 months. [100028]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 28 February 2003]14,940 asylum applications were lodged by Iraqi nationals in 2002 (excluding dependants). Asylum applications are recorded by nationality only and therefore it is not possible to say how many of the applicants originated from particular areas within Iraq. The number of those who applied by the claimed region of origin would therefore only be available by examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost. Information on the region from which applicants claim to originate may not be reliable as some applicants may falsely claim to come from areas where there is conflict.
Information on asylum applications is published quarterly. The next publication will cover the first quarter of 2003, and will be available from 30 May 2003 on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ rds/immigration1. html.
§ Mr. WalterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what preparations he has made for the internment of Iraqi nationals in the event of a war with Iraq. [99691]
§ Mr. Blunkett[holding answer 27 February 2003]I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Salisbury (Robert Key) on 30 January 2003, Official Report, column 1041W.