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HOME DEPARTMENT
Asylum (Iraqi Nationals)
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from Iraq (a) applied for asylum in the UK, (b) had applications refused, (c) had applications allowed on appeal, (d) were given exceptional leave to remain, (e) were deported to Iraq and (f) were removed to a third country in each year since 1995; and what are the latest available figures for the current year. [153116]
Mrs. Roche: The latest available information on principal applicants (that is, excluding dependants) for nationals of Iraq is given in the table.
| 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999(8) | 2000 1 , 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications received | 930 | 965 | 1,075 | 1,295 | 1,800 | 7,080 |
| Initial decisions(10) | 795 | 665 | 665 | 1,100 | 745 | 4,865 |
| Of which: | ||||||
| Grants of exceptional leave(11) | 175 | 135 | 295 | 500 | 325 | 1,975 |
| Refused(11) | 50 | 60 | 110 | 90 | 105 | 2,120 |
| Appeals determined by Immigration Appellate Authority adjudicators(12) | 20 | 20 | 15 | 45 | (14)-- | (14)-- |
| Of which: | ||||||
| Appeals allowed(12) | 0 | * | 10 | 15 | (14)-- | (14)-- |
| Removals(13) | 15 | 30 | 40 | 40 | (15)40 | (15)50 |
(8) Provisional figures
(9) Decision figures, by nationality, are not readily available for the period January to March 2000.
(10) Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.
(11) Includes cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.
(12) Figures are based on the cases for which information is recorded on the Refugee Index.
(13) Includes persons removed under on-entry and in-country procedures who had, at some stage, claimed asylum.
(14) Not available
(15) Estimated
Note:
Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.
Information is not held centrally on the specific countries to which persons are removed. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost through the examination of individual case files.
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the policy of his Department is regarding the safety of nationals deported to Iraq having failed asylum applications in the United Kingdom. [153117]
Mrs. Roche: Applications for asylum are considered on their individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations Refugee
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Convention. We would not normally contemplate returning failed asylum seekers to Government controlled Iraq. We also accept that there may be certain people from the Kurdish autonomous area in northern Iraq who are in need of international protection and cannot be returned there. But there are also those who, after detailed examination by trained asylum caseworkers, cannot establish a need for international protection and who can be safely returned to northern Iraq. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have also said that there are those who can safely remain in, or return to, northern Iraq. Other European countries take a similar approach regarding the safety of returning certain failed asylum applicants to northern Iraq.
Hilda Murrell
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to ensure the investigation into the forensic evidence in the case of Hilda Murrell is being carried out with the devotion of reasonable resources. [152632]
Mr. Charles Clarke: I am satisfied that the Forensic Science Service (FSS) is dedicating the appropriate resources to investigating the forensic evidence in the case of Hilda Murrell. The results obtained so far have provided no information about DNA from anyone other than the victim. The FSS is undertaking staged examinations of samples using the latest DNA techniques. As each of these examinations is completed, the next step in the priority order of tests is triggered. The analysis is being applied in order of priority so as to conserve as far as possible samples for future analysis if existing DNA tests are unsuccessful. Once the results of the tests have been assessed, the FSS will consider what further analysis could usefully be undertaken.
Greater Manchester Police
Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were serving in Greater Manchester in each year since 1990. [152808]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is set out in the table.
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Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers serving in Greater Manchester have taken (a) early retirement and (b) retirement due to ill health in each year since 1990. [152810]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Police officers are entitled to retire with an ordinary police pension on completion of 25 years' pensionable service, subject to certain conditions. However, most police officers choose to retire on completion of 30 years' pensionable service, as this is when maximum pension benefits are accrued.
There are currently no provisions for early retirement from the police service with an actuarially reduced pension. However, officers may retire early on the ground that they are permanently disabled from performing the ordinary duties of a police officer and will receive an ill-health pension.
The numbers of ill-health retirements from Greater Manchester police are set out in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 188 |
| 1991 | 165 |
| 1992 | 149 |
| 1993 | 162 |
| 1994-95 | 198 |
| 1995-96 | 168 |
| 1996-97 | 207 |
| 1997-98 | 199 |
| 1998-99 | 179 |
| 1999-2000 | 132 |
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 73 |
| 1991 | 68 |
| 1992 | 67 |
| 1993 | 60 |
| 1994-95 | 69 |
| 1995-96 | 49 |
| 1996-97 | 65 |
| 1997-98 | 61 |
| 1998-99 | 64 |
| 1999-2000 | 56 |
Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the number of police officers serving in Greater Manchester in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002. [152813]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Home Office Statistical bulletin 2/01 published on 16 January 2001 gave details of Greater Manchester police (GMP) strength on 30 September 2000.
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I understand from GMP that the force expects to have reached the strengths shown in the table by March 2001 and March 2002.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| (a) 30 September 2000(16) | 6,767 |
| (b) 31 March 2001(17) | 6,988 |
| (c) 31 March 2002(17) | 7,242 |
(16) Full-time Equivalent numbers, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01.
(17) Number of individuals
It is important to note that the projections for 2001 and 2002 are expressed as headcount whereas strength at September 2000 is expressed as Full-Time Equivalents (FTE). Headcount figures will be larger than FTE figures because officers working part-time count as one in headcount terms, but as a fraction of an officer in FTE terms.
Greater Manchester police plan to reach the strength figures shown, but precise strength may be affected by the budget set for the force, by changes to projected wastage and by the success of the force's recruitment plans.
Police (North-West)
Ms Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers undertook training in the North West Region but served as a police officer in another region in each year since 1990. [152811]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
In addition to police officers undertaking training at the National Police Training schools, they also have training at their force's, and other forces' training establishments.
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