§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been refused support by the National Asylum Support Service under section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and what reports he has received about the length of time these people had been in the United Kingdom before claiming support. [135452]
§ Beverley HughesSection 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 came into force on 8 January 2003, restricting the availability of National Asylum Support Service (NASS) support to those asylum seekers who make an asylum application as soon as reasonably practicable.
Of the total (4,365) cases referred to NASS for a Section 55 decision in the first quarter of 2003, 2,850 were refused NASS support on the grounds that their claims were not made as soon as reasonably practicable.
Of the total (3,110) cases referred to NASS for a Section 55 decision in the second quarter of 2003, 1,830 were refused NASS support on the grounds that their claims were not made as soon as reasonably practicable.
Information on how long these applicants had been in the United Kingdom before making an asylum claim is not held centrally.
§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with(a) local authorities and (b) service providers about the provision of housing for asylum seekers when the current contracts expire; and if he will make a statement. [135461]