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Asylum Seekers
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of
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2 February 2000, Official Report, columns 1057-67, concerning the number of asylum decisions made each month, how many asylum decisions were made in each of the last three months for which figures are available; and if he will give full particulars of dates and types of decision. [110670]
Mrs. Roche: The available information is given in the table. The January figures will be published via the internet at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm. It would not be possible to give full details of the dates of each decision without the examination of individual case records.
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| October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total decisions | 2,630 | 2,650 | 2,320 |
| Cases considered under normal procedures | |||
| Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum | 175 | 230 | 170 |
| Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave | 175 | 215 | 120 |
| Refusals: | |||
| Total refused | 1,250 | 1,410 | 1,045 |
| Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration | 975 | 1,005 | 665 |
| Refused on safe third country grounds | 145 | 200 | 100 |
| Refused on non-compliance grounds(52) | 130 | 210 | 280 |
| Backlog clearance exercise | |||
| Granted exceptional leave under backlog criteria(83), (84) | 790 | 715 | 920 |
| Refused on non-compliance grounds under backlog criteria(83), (85) | 240 | 80 | 65 |
(49) Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
(50) Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.
(51) Provisional figures.
(52) Paragraph 340 (paragraph 180F prior to 1 October 1994) of the Immigration Rules, for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity.
(53) Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.
(54) Includes a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.
(55) Includes a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.
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Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum decisions were made by his Department in each week of January. [111344]
Mrs. Roche: Statistics on asylum decisions are not available on a weekly basis. Statistics showing how many decisions were made in January will be published via the internet at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm on 25 February 2000.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to alter the target of clearing all current asylum cases by October. [111345]
Mrs. Roche: We remain committed to the White Paper target of reducing the backlog of initial asylum decisions to frictional levels by April 2001. Over 250 new asylum decision-makers have already been recruited and more are planned. We are close to achieving 4,000 asylum decisions a month and we are aiming to make 8,000 a month by the late spring. At current intake levels, we expect to make major inroads into the backlog by the end of the year.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the statistical source for his oral statement of 2 February 2000, Official Report, column 1064, that his Department is "close to achieving 4,000 asylum decisions a month". [111355]
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Mrs. Roche: Provisional information from management sources indicated that the number of asylum decisions in January would be close to 4,000. The actual figure will be published on 25 February.
Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were received from applicants travelling from Pakistan in each of the last five years. [111057]
Mrs. Roche: The information requested is given in the table.
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 2,915 |
| 1996 | 1,915 |
| 1997 | 1,615 |
| 1998 | 1,975 |
| 1999 | 2,615 |
(56) Figures rounded to nearest five
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what method the number of asylum seekers for dispersal to Scotland has been calculated. [111041]
Mrs. Roche: We have made no such calculations.
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We have given indications to local authority consortiums of the total amount of accommodation we are likely to need in 2000-01. We are now in the process of acquiring accommodation both from the public sector and the private sector in order to be able to accommodate the anticipated demand.
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to use the powers under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to direct local authorities in Scotland to take asylum seekers. [111042]
Mrs. Roche: I have no plans at this stage to exercise the powers in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to direct any local authorities to take asylum seekers.
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been subject to dispersal from the South East of England; and how many have been dispersed to each local authority area in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland. [111054]
Mrs. Roche: Under the interim arrangements, which came into force on 6 December, a total of 1,124 asylum seekers were dispersed from London and Kent up to 2 February 2000. They were all dispersed to local authorities across England. The table reflects how many have been subject to dispersal in each region/local authority:
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The interim arrangements do not apply in Scotland where existing arrangements for the support continue to have effect until the new scheme under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 comes into force.
Combat 18
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of the membership and geographical distribution of Combat 18 in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made of how it has changed over the past five years; [110661]
- (2) how many individuals have been charged in the past three years with offences related to their activities on behalf of Combat 18 or in association with suspected members of that organisation; and if he will set out a chronological list of the charges made and the outcome at trial; [110662]
(3) what assessment he has made of the aims and objectives of the organisation known as Combat 18. [110663]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I understand that the name "Combat 18" is used by a very small number of individuals with neo-nazi views who associate in a series of loose groupings, mainly in South-East England. The name has also been used by others in racist graffiti or in connection with acts of vandalism and hooliganism. This has been the position for the last five years. It is not possible to provide authoritative information on criminal proceedings because links to these loose groupings are seldom clear cut.
The Government deplore the activities of any group or individual which promotes bigotry, hate and violence.
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