Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 13 February 2004)

§ Mr. Clappison
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi asylum seekers(a) have been refused asylum or other legal status to remain in the UK and (b) exhausted their rights of appeal in each year since 1997. [150620]

§ Beverley Hughes
The tables show the available information, relating to the outcomes of initial decisions, including refusals of leave to remain, and

Initial decision on application received for asylum in the United Kingdom¹, 1997-September 2003 Nationals of Iraq

Number of principal applicants

Cases considered under normal procedures³ Backlog clearance exercise⁴

Initial decisions² Granted asylum Granted exceptional leave to remain Granted humanitarian protection Granted discretionary leave Rejused Granted asylum or exceptional leave to remain under backlog criteria Refused under backlog criteria⁵

1997 665 255 295 ⁶— ⁶— 110 — —

1998 1,100 510 500 ⁶— ⁶— 90 — —

1999 745 315 320 ⁶— ⁶— 100 5 ⁷—

2000 5,530 845 2,455 ⁶— ⁶— 2,220 10 ⁷—

2001⁸ 9,035 830 1,885 ⁶— ⁶— 6,315 — —

2002⁹ 11,905 715 8,195 ⁶— ⁶— 2,995 — —

January to March 2003⁹ 2,915 65 2,105 ⁶— ⁶— 770 — —

April to June 2003⁹ 335 5 6— 7— 7— 330 — —

July to September 2003⁹ 1,790 7— 6— — 15 1,775 — —

¹Figures rounded to the nearest 5,

²Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

³Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria.

⁴Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.

⁵Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.

⁶Not applicable

⁷Equals 1 or 2

⁸Revised figures

⁹Provisional figures

Outcome of appeals^1,2determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority excluding dependants nationals of Iraq, 1997-September2003

Number of principals appellants

Appeals determined by adjudicators

Allowed Dismissed Withdrawn

Total determined Total As percentage of total determined Total As percentage of total determined Total As percentage of total determined

1997³ 15 10 64 ⁴— 14 5 21

1998³ 45 15 29 25 51 10 20

1999 ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵—

2000 ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵— ⁵—

2001 1,655 445 27 1,065 64 145 9

2002⁶ 4,570 1,130 25 2,970 65 470 10

January to March 2003⁶ 1,355 280 21 910 67 160 12

April to June 2003⁶ 205 40 20 145 69 20 10

July to September 2003⁶ 1,220 50 4 1,040 85 130 10

¹Figures rounded to nearest 5 (except percentages), Figures may not add up due to independent rounding.

²Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.

³Figures are based on the cases for which information is recorded on the Refugee Index.

⁴Equals 1 or 2

⁵Not available.

⁶Provisional figures

§ Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which defences are under statute not to be considered as reasonable causes for asylum seekers no longer in possession of relevant documents. [152842]
224W
grants of asylum and the outcome of appeals at the IAA, for Iraqi nationals, who have applied for asylum in the United Kingdom, for each year from 1997 to September 2003. Data by nationality are not available for outcomes at the other levels of appeal.
Information on the numbers of asylum applications by nationality and on the outcome of appeals is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, available from the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. The next quarterly publication, covering the fourth quarter of 2003 and provisional full year data, will be published on 24 February.

§ Beverley Hughes
For the purpose of the offence set out in clause 2 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill, whether or not an excuse for failing to have a document is reasonable will depend on the circumstances of the particular case.
225W
However, the offence explicitly rules out deliberate destruction or disposal as an excuse, unless that destruction or disposal is for a reasonable cause or beyond the control of the person concerned. Certain behaviour does not amount to a reasonable cause, namely if the destruction or disposal was with a view to delaying or enhancing a claim or on the instructions or advice of a facilitator.
As I said during Committee stage of the Bill, we are looking at the defences in clause 2. If we consider any amendments to be necessary, we intend to table them at Report stage.

§ Mr. Tom Harris
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers living in Glasgow were granted refugee status in the last year for which figures are available. [153201]

§ Beverley Hughes
Initial decision outcomes are not available relating to persons living in particular areas of the UK. The requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
Information on the numbers of initial decisions on asylum applications by nationality and on the outcome of appeals is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin 'Asylum Statistics United Kingdom', available from the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. The next quarterly publication, covering the fourth quarter of 2003 and provisional full year data, will be published on 24 February.

§ Dr. Cable
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers who were qualified doctors have applied to work in the UK as doctors in each of the last five years; how many applications were(a) accepted and (b) rejected; and how many rejections were overturned on appeal. [153617]

§ Beverley Hughes
Generally speaking asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the United Kingdom while their claim for asylum is being processed. The Government are aware that some applicants use the asylum system as an alternative route for economic migration and we believe it is vital to discourage this and to send out a message that we will not tolerate abuse of the asylum system.
Until 23 July 2002 asylum seekers who had not received an initial decision on their asylum claim within six months of its being lodged could seek exceptional permission to work under the terms of the employment concession. No detailed statistics were kept on the number of asylum seekers given permission to work under the terms of the concession and the type of job they wished to undertake.
This concession has now been withdrawn. It is our policy to speed up the length of time asylum seekers are awaiting a decision on their status. The latest published figures show that 81 per cent.^1,2 of applications received in the period April to June 2003 had initial decisions reached and served within two months³, compared with 75 per cent. for the previous quarter. Proposals in the Asylum and Immigration Bill currently before 226W Parliament will simplify and speed up the appeals process. In this context, we feel it is inappropriate for asylum seekers of any occupation to work.
¹Source:
A-CID database as at 31 October 2003.
²Excludes withdrawals and third country cases which may be the responsibility of other EU member states under the Dublin Convention. Home Office's Public Service Agreement target for 2001–02 was 60 per cent. and for 2002–03 was 65 per cent. The target for 2003–04 is 75 per cent. Details of the targets are given in the 2000 Spending Review Public Service Agreements White Paper at http://www.treasury.gov.uk/. Excludes asylum applications lodged by Iraqis between 1 February and 31 May 2003.
³"Two months" is defined as 61 days.

§ Mr. Tom Harris
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers resident in Glasgow were granted refugee status in the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of all applications this represents. [153733]

§ Beverley Hughes
Initial decision outcomes are not available relating to persons residing in particular areas of the UK. The requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.
Information on the numbers of initial decisions on asylum applications by nationality and on the outcome of appeals is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", available from the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. The next quarterly publication, covering the fourth quarter of 2003 and provisional full year data, will be published on 24 February.

§ Mr. Tom Harris
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of applications for refugee status were successful in the latest period for which figures are available. [153752]

§ Beverley Hughes
There were 14,210 initial decisions on asylum applications in the period July to September 2003, the latest published figures, of which 5 per cent. of the decisions were grants of refugee status. A further 6 per cent. were granted discretionary leave and a minimal number (less than one per cent.) humanitarian protection. Information on appeals relating to initial decisions made in this period is unavailable but a percentage may be allowed.
Information on the numbers of initial decisions on asylum applications is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", available from the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. The next quarterly publication, covering the fourth quarter of 2003 and provisional full year data, will be published on 24 February.

§ Mr. Betts
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department from which countries, other than Iraq, Zimbabwe and Somalia, asylum seekers can claim hard case support if their claims are refused on appeal. [154336]

§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 12 February 2004]: As a matter policy accommodation under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (hard case support) may be provided to failed asylum seekers who are unable to leave immediately due to circumstances entirely 227W beyond their control. Currently accommodation will be provided to Kurds from the Kurdish Autonomous Zone of Iraq because until recently there was no viable route of return. Now that Kurds from Iraq can leave under the Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme the policy of providing accommodation is being reviewed. It is possible for nationals of Zimbabwe and Somalia to make a voluntary return and accommodation will be provided only where they are seeking to return but cannot do so immediately. No other countries are routinely provided with accommodation if their claims for asylum are finally refused.

§ Mr. Betts
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is a time frame in which failed Iraqi asylum seekers are expected to return home. [154337]

§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answerl2 February 2004]: Failed Iraqi asylum seekers are expected to return to Iraq voluntarily once they have exhausted the appeal process; they can do so through the Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration Programme operated by the International Organisation for Migration. We are currently working on proposals for enforced return.

§ Mr. Viggers
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors he is taking into account before deciding whether to proceed with a possible accommodation centre for asylum seekers at the Daedalus site in Lee-on-the-Solent. [151616]

§ Beverley Hughes
[holding answer 29 January 2004]: All prospective sites for accommodation centres are evaluated against a set of criteria including size, configuration, location, technical characteristics and planning considerations.
I announced on 3 February that we have decided not to seek planning approval to develop an accommodation centre for asylum seekers at HMS Daedalus. Following a careful evaluation, we have concluded that the difficulties associated with the conversion of historic buildings and the creation of a suitable access point make the site unsuitable for the purposes of the trial.

Initial decision on application received for asylum in the United Kingdom¹, 1997-September 2003 Nationals of Iraq
Number of principal applicants
	Cases considered under normal procedures³	Backlog clearance exercise⁴
	Initial decisions²	Granted asylum	Granted exceptional leave to remain	Granted humanitarian protection	Granted discretionary leave	Rejused	Granted asylum or exceptional leave to remain under backlog criteria	Refused under backlog criteria⁵
1997	665	255	295	⁶—	⁶—	110	—	—
1998	1,100	510	500	⁶—	⁶—	90	—	—
1999	745	315	320	⁶—	⁶—	100	5	⁷—
2000	5,530	845	2,455	⁶—	⁶—	2,220	10	⁷—
2001⁸	9,035	830	1,885	⁶—	⁶—	6,315	—	—
2002⁹	11,905	715	8,195	⁶—	⁶—	2,995	—	—
January to March 2003⁹	2,915	65	2,105	⁶—	⁶—	770	—	—
April to June 2003⁹	335	5	6—	7—	7—	330	—	—
July to September 2003⁹	1,790	7—	6—	—	15	1,775	—	—
¹Figures rounded to the nearest 5,
²Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
³Cases considered under normal procedures may include some cases decided under the backlog criteria.
⁴Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.
⁵Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
⁶Not applicable
⁷Equals 1 or 2
⁸Revised figures
⁹Provisional figures

Outcome of appeals^1,2determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority excluding dependants nationals of Iraq, 1997-September2003
Number of principals appellants
Appeals determined by adjudicators
		Allowed	Dismissed	Withdrawn
	Total determined	Total	As percentage of total determined	Total	As percentage of total determined	Total	As percentage of total determined
1997³	15	10	64	⁴—	14	5	21
1998³	45	15	29	25	51	10	20
1999	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—
2000	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—	⁵—
2001	1,655	445	27	1,065	64	145	9
2002⁶	4,570	1,130	25	2,970	65	470	10
January to March 2003⁶	1,355	280	21	910	67	160	12
April to June 2003⁶	205	40	20	145	69	20	10
July to September 2003⁶	1,220	50	4	1,040	85	130	10
¹Figures rounded to nearest 5 (except percentages), Figures may not add up due to independent rounding.
²Figures include cases withdrawn by the Home Office, as well as the appellant.
³Figures are based on the cases for which information is recorded on the Refugee Index.
⁴Equals 1 or 2
⁵Not available.
⁶Provisional figures