Asylum Seekers (Hansard, 14 June 2004)

§ Mr. Paice
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees have been granted asylum in the UK(a) including dependants and (b) excluding dependants in each year since 1979. [177105]

§ Mr. Browne
[holding answer 8 June 2004]: The tables show the total number of asylum seekers, including and excluding dependants, granted asylum in the United Kingdom, 1979–2003. Information on initial decision outcomes, broken down by nationality, is published in the quarterly web pages and in the Home Office annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom". Copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1. html.

Applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and
initial decisions, including dependants² 1979 to 2003

Total initial
decisions
Recognised
as a refugee
and granted
asylum³
Not
recognised as a refugee but
granted
exceptional
leave
Not
recognised as
a refugee but
granted
discretionary
leave⁴

1979 949 525 215 ⁸—

1980 1,797 1,147 238 ⁸—

1981 2,358 1,473 278 ⁸—

1982 2,942 1,727 311 ⁸—

1983 2,950 1,185 939 ⁸—

1984 2,011 689 802 ⁸—

1985 3,802 915 2,156 ⁸—

1986 4,045 543 2,815 ⁸—

1987 3,479 464 2,229 ⁸—

1988 3,888 975 2,289 ⁸—

1989 10,270 3,335 5,840 ⁸—

1990 6,055 1,590 3,610 ⁸—

1991 9,140 800 2,950 ⁸—

1992 59,050 1,900 21,680 ⁸—

1993 36,890 2,860 15,480 ⁸—

1994 27,755 1,395 5,445 ⁸—

1995 35,195 2,200 6,780 ⁸—

1996 49,350 3,660 7,510 ⁸—

1997 48,530 6,210 4,740 ⁸—

1998 42,905 8,245 6,455 ⁸—

1999 45,850 10,405 4,640 ⁸—

2000 132,925 12,135 12,645 ⁸—

2001⁹ 155,900 14,755 26,025 ⁸—

2002¹⁰ 103,450 10,990 22,470 ⁸—

2003¹⁰ 80,960 5,225 5,120 3,275

749W

Not
recognised as
a refugee but
granted
humanitarian
protection⁴
Refused
asylum and
exceptional
leave
Granted
exceptional
leave under
backlog
criteria^5,6
Refused on
non-
compliance
grounds
under
backlog
criteria^5,7

1979 ⁸— 209 ⁸— ⁸—

1980 ⁸— 412 ⁸— ⁸—

1981 ⁸— 607 ⁸— ⁸—

1982 ⁸— 904 ⁸— ⁸—

1983 ⁸— 826 ⁸— ⁸—

1984 ⁸— 520 ⁸— ⁸—

1985 ⁸— 731 ⁸— ⁸—

1986 ⁸— 687 ⁸— ⁸—

1987 ⁸— 786 ⁸— ⁸—

1988 ⁸— 624 ⁸— ⁸—

1989 ⁸— 1,095 ⁸— ⁸—

1990 ⁸— 855 ⁸— ⁸—

1991 ⁸— 5,390 ⁸— ⁸—

1992 ⁸— 35,480 ⁸— ⁸—

1993 ⁸— 18,550 ⁸— ⁸—

1994 ⁸— 20,915 ⁸— ⁸—

1995 ⁸— 26,220 ⁸— ⁸—

1996 ⁸— 38,180 ⁸— ⁸—

1997 ⁸— 37,585 ⁸— ⁸—

1998 ⁸— 28,205 ⁸— ⁸—

1999 ⁸— 13,915 15,195 1,690

2000 ⁸— 92,330 14,045 1,775

2001⁹ ⁸— 115,120 ⁸— ⁸—

2002¹⁰ ⁸— 69,990 ⁸— ⁸—

2003¹⁰ 175 67,165 ⁸— ⁸—

¹ Figures from 1989 onwards are rounded to the nearest five.

² From 1992 to 2001 figures are estimated. Including dependants who applied with the principal applicant and those who arrived subsequently but before the principal application was decided. Figures for 2002 are based on actual data and therefore rounded to the nearest five. Previous dependants applications figures rounded

nearest 100 due to being an estimation.

³ Excluding South East Asian refugees (pre 1996 only).

⁴ Discretionary Leave and Humanitarian Protection replaced Exceptional Leave to Remain from 1 April 2003.

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

⁶ Includes cases where asylum or exceptional leave has been granted under the backlog criteria.

⁷ Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.

⁸ Not applicable

⁹ Revised figures.

¹⁰ Provisional figures.

Applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and
initial decisions, excluding dependants 1979 to 2003

Total initial
decisions
Recognised
as a refugee
and granted
asylum²
Not
recognised as
a refugee but
granted
exceptional
leave
Not
recognised as
a refugee but
granted
discretionary
leave³

1979 ⁷— ⁷— ⁷— ⁸—

1980 ⁷— ⁷— ⁷— ⁸—

1981 ⁷— ⁷— ⁷— ⁸—

1982 ⁷— ⁷— ⁷— ⁸—

1983 ⁷— ⁷— ⁷— ⁸—

1984 1,431 453 631 ⁸—

1985 2,635 574 1,559 ⁸—

1986 2,983 348 2,102 ⁸—

1987 2,432 266 1,531 ⁸—

1988 2,702 628 1,578 ⁸—

1989 6,955 2,210 3,860 ⁸—

1990 4,025 920 2,400 ⁸—

1991 6,075 505 2,190 ⁸—

1992 34,900 1,115 15,325 ⁸—

1993 23,405 1,590 11,125 ⁸—

750W

Applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and
initial decisions, excluding dependants 1979 to 2003

Total initial
decisions
Recognised
as a refugee
and granted
asylum²
Not
recognised as
a refugee but
granted
exceptional
leave
Not
recognised as
a refugee but
granted
discretionary
leave³

1994 20,990 825 3,660 ⁸—

1995 27,005 1,295 4,410 ⁸—

1996 38,960 2,240 5,055 ⁸—

1997 36,045 3,985 3,115 ⁸—

1998 31,570 5,345 3,910 ⁸—

1999 33,720 7,815 2,465 ⁸—

2000 109,205 10,375 11,495 ⁸—

2001⁹ 120,950 11,450 20,190 ⁸—

2002¹⁰ 83,540 8,270 20,135 ⁸—

2003¹⁰ 64,605 3,880 3,970 3,105

Not
recognised as
a refugee but
granted
humanitarian
protection³
Refused
asylum and
exceptional
leave
Granted
exceptional
leave under
backlog
criteria^4,5
Refused on
non-
compliance
grounds
under
backlog
criteria^4,6

1979 ⁸— ⁷— ⁸— ⁸—

1980 ⁸— ⁷— ⁸— ⁸—

1981 ⁸— ⁷— ⁸— ⁸—

1982 ⁸— ⁷— ⁸— ⁸—

1983 ⁸— ⁷— ⁸— ⁸—

1984 ⁸— 347 ⁸— ⁸—

1985 ⁸— 502 ⁸— ⁸—

1986 ⁸— 533 ⁸— ⁸—

1987 ⁸— 635 ⁸— ⁸—

1988 ⁸— 496 ⁸— ⁸—

1989 ⁸— 890 ⁸— ⁸—

1990 ⁸— 705 ⁸— ⁸—

1991 ⁸— 3,380 ⁸— ⁸—

1992 ⁸— 18,465 ⁸— ⁸—

1993 ⁸— 10,690 ⁸— ⁸—

1994 ⁸— 16,500 ⁸— ⁸—

1995 ⁸— 21,300 ⁸— ⁸—

1996 ⁸— 31,670 ⁸— ⁸—

1997 ⁸— 28,945 ⁸— ⁸—

1998 ⁸— 22,315 ⁸— ⁸—

1999 ⁸— 11,025 11,140 1,275

2000 ⁸— 75,680 10,325 1,335

2001⁹ ⁸— 89,310 ⁸— ⁸—

2002¹⁰ ⁸— 55,130 ⁸— ⁸—

2003¹⁰ 135 53,510 ⁸— ⁸—

¹ Figures from 1989 onwards are rounded to the nearest five.

² Excluding South East Asian refugees (pre 1996 only).

³ Discretionary Leave and Humanitarian Protection replaced Exceptional Leave to Remain from 1 April 2003.

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

⁵ Includes cases where asylum or exceptional leave has been granted under the backlog criteria.

⁶ Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.

⁷ Not available.

⁸ Not applicable.

⁹ Revised figures.

¹⁰ Provisional figures.

§ Mr. Malins
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what criteria he judges a country to be unsafe to return failed asylum seekers to. [176276]

§ Mr. Browne
All asylum claims are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the United Kingdom's obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. Those asylum seekers who establish that their claim meets the criteria of the 1951 Convention are granted 751W asylum. If asylum is refused, we will go on to consider whether humanitarian protection or discretionary leave should be granted in accordance with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.
In considering claims the Home Office takes full account of up to date information from a wide range of sources about the situation in the country of origin. These sources include intergovernmental organisations (such as the UN), governmental sources (including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and human rights organisations (for example Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch).
If an individual is unsuccessful in his application and in any appeal they make to the independent Immigration Appellate Authority we consider that it is safe for that individual to be removed.
The only country to which, as a matter of policy, we do not at present generally enforce the return of failed asylum seekers is Zimbabwe. This policy is not based on asylum or human rights reasons but on our view that in the wider context of the Government's position on Zimbabwe, it would be inappropriate to return forcibly failed asylum seekers at this time.

§ Mr. Malins
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of asylum applicants claimed asylum in the UK(a) at Dover, (b) at other UK seaports, (c) at Heathrow Airport, (d) at Gatwick Airport, (e) at other UK airports, (f) in-country within 14 days of arrival and (g) in-country over 14 days of arrival in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2003. [176291]

§ Mr. Browne
[holding answer 27 May 2004]: The requested information is unavailable and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. Data on asylum applications is collated on when the application is made, and not on when applicants arrive in the UK. For applicants entering clandestinely or through legitimate legal entry routes and applying in country, their date of arrival is not necessarily recorded on entry and they are not at that point identifiable as a future asylum seeker. The table shows asylum applications to the United Kingdom by port and in country.

Applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom,
excluding dependants, 2002–03

2002² 2003²

Total
applications
Applied
at port
Applied in
country
Total
applications
Applied
at port
Applied in
country

84,130 26,560 57,570 49,370 13,810 35,560

¹Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

²Provisional figures.

Information on asylum applications is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin 'Asylum Statistics United Kingdom'. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

§ Clare Short
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate how many asylum seekers who have been refused leave to remain and exhausted all appeal rights have not departed from the UK. [177124]
752W

§ Mr. Browne
Information on the number of asylum seekers who have exhausted their rights of appeal is not readily available and could be obtained only by examination of individual case files to obtain information on the final outcomes from each tier of the appeal process. This would incur disproportionate cost. No information on the number of unsuccessful asylum seekers awaiting removal is available, partly because some applicants may leave the United Kingdom without informing the Immigration Service.
The Government have commissioned research into the methods used in other countries to estimate the overall size of the illegal population including failed asylum seekers, in order to define methods appropriate for the UK.

Applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and initial decisions, including dependants² 1979 to 2003
	Total initial decisions	Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum³	Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave	Not recognised as a refugee but granted discretionary leave⁴
1979	949	525	215	⁸—
1980	1,797	1,147	238	⁸—
1981	2,358	1,473	278	⁸—
1982	2,942	1,727	311	⁸—
1983	2,950	1,185	939	⁸—
1984	2,011	689	802	⁸—
1985	3,802	915	2,156	⁸—
1986	4,045	543	2,815	⁸—
1987	3,479	464	2,229	⁸—
1988	3,888	975	2,289	⁸—
1989	10,270	3,335	5,840	⁸—
1990	6,055	1,590	3,610	⁸—
1991	9,140	800	2,950	⁸—
1992	59,050	1,900	21,680	⁸—
1993	36,890	2,860	15,480	⁸—
1994	27,755	1,395	5,445	⁸—
1995	35,195	2,200	6,780	⁸—
1996	49,350	3,660	7,510	⁸—
1997	48,530	6,210	4,740	⁸—
1998	42,905	8,245	6,455	⁸—
1999	45,850	10,405	4,640	⁸—
2000	132,925	12,135	12,645	⁸—
2001⁹	155,900	14,755	26,025	⁸—
2002¹⁰	103,450	10,990	22,470	⁸—
2003¹⁰	80,960	5,225	5,120	3,275

	Not recognised as a refugee but granted humanitarian protection⁴	Refused asylum and exceptional leave	Granted exceptional leave under backlog criteria^5,6	Refused on non- compliance grounds under backlog criteria^5,7
1979	⁸—	209	⁸—	⁸—
1980	⁸—	412	⁸—	⁸—
1981	⁸—	607	⁸—	⁸—
1982	⁸—	904	⁸—	⁸—
1983	⁸—	826	⁸—	⁸—
1984	⁸—	520	⁸—	⁸—
1985	⁸—	731	⁸—	⁸—
1986	⁸—	687	⁸—	⁸—
1987	⁸—	786	⁸—	⁸—
1988	⁸—	624	⁸—	⁸—
1989	⁸—	1,095	⁸—	⁸—
1990	⁸—	855	⁸—	⁸—
1991	⁸—	5,390	⁸—	⁸—
1992	⁸—	35,480	⁸—	⁸—
1993	⁸—	18,550	⁸—	⁸—
1994	⁸—	20,915	⁸—	⁸—
1995	⁸—	26,220	⁸—	⁸—
1996	⁸—	38,180	⁸—	⁸—
1997	⁸—	37,585	⁸—	⁸—
1998	⁸—	28,205	⁸—	⁸—
1999	⁸—	13,915	15,195	1,690
2000	⁸—	92,330	14,045	1,775
2001⁹	⁸—	115,120	⁸—	⁸—
2002¹⁰	⁸—	69,990	⁸—	⁸—
2003¹⁰	175	67,165	⁸—	⁸—
¹ Figures from 1989 onwards are rounded to the nearest five.
² From 1992 to 2001 figures are estimated. Including dependants who applied with the principal applicant and those who arrived subsequently but before the principal application was decided. Figures for 2002 are based on actual data and therefore rounded to the nearest five. Previous dependants applications figures rounded
nearest 100 due to being an estimation.
³ Excluding South East Asian refugees (pre 1996 only).
⁴ Discretionary Leave and Humanitarian Protection replaced Exceptional Leave to Remain from 1 April 2003.
⁵ Cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
⁶ Includes cases where asylum or exceptional leave has been granted under the backlog criteria.
⁷ Includes some cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
⁸ Not applicable
⁹ Revised figures.
¹⁰ Provisional figures.

Applications¹ received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 2002–03
2002²	2003²
Total applications	Applied at port	Applied in country	Total applications	Applied at port	Applied in country
84,130	26,560	57,570	49,370	13,810	35,560
¹Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
²Provisional figures.