House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 Nov 2001 (pt 18)

Asylum

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of racial harassment were reported to the National Asylum Support Service's Investigations Team by asylum seekers in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 broken down by (i) month and (ii) region; and if he will make a statement. [13044]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 7 November 2001]: The number of allegations of racial harassment reported to the National Asylum Support Services (NASS) Investigations Team in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 is as follows.

12 Nov 2001 : Column: 559W

Year Number

2000

May ⁽¹²⁾4

June ⁽¹²⁾19

July ⁽¹²⁾38

August ⁽¹²⁾46

September ⁽¹²⁾36

October 36

November 40

December 32

2001

January 47

February 71

March 66

April 64

May 78

June 74

July 71

August 103

September 72

October 122

Year	Number
2000
May	⁽¹²⁾4
June	⁽¹²⁾19
July	⁽¹²⁾38
August	⁽¹²⁾46
September	⁽¹²⁾36
October	36
November	40
December	32

2001
January	47
February	71
March	66
April	64
May	78
June	74
July	71
August	103
September	72
October	122

⁽¹²⁾ The performance Monitoring Investigations Section (PMI) became fully operational in October 2000. Figures prior to October 2000 represent those cases reported to the Investigations Sections. Further allegations may have been investigated within the wider Operations Section within NASS but there are no statistics for this

The figures are not broken down by region. The figures represent the reports which NASS's Investigations Section received and information on who reported the incident is not recorded.

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sri Lankans have sought political asylum in the UK in each of the last three years. [13446]

Angela Eagle: The information is provided in the table.

Applications for asylum to the UK, excluding dependents, from nationals of Sri Lanka, 1998–2000⁽¹³⁾

Year Applications

1998 3,505

1999 5,130

2000⁽¹⁴⁾ 6,395

2001⁽¹⁴⁾^,⁽¹⁵⁾ 3,060

Year	Applications
1998	3,505
1999	5,130
2000⁽¹⁴⁾	6,395
2001⁽¹⁴⁾^,⁽¹⁵⁾	3,060

⁽¹³⁾ All data rounded to nearest five

⁽¹⁴⁾ Provisional

⁽¹⁵⁾ January to July

The information is published regularly in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, a copy of which is available in the Library, and from the RDS website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ immigration1.html

12 Nov 2001 : Column: 560W

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were made in each of the last 12 months by (a) Afghans, (b) Sri Lankans, (c) Somalians and (d) Iraqi Kurds; what proportion were (i) granted and (ii) refused; what proportion were granted exceptional leave to remain; and what proportion have been removed. [14022]

Angela Eagle: The latest available information is provided in the table and relates to the number of applications and initial decisions made under normal procedures for principal applicants. Data on initial decisions are independent of applications data, and do not necessarily relate to applications lodged in the same period. Information on Iraqi Kurds is not available.

Following the initial decision, applicants have a right of appeal to the Immigration Appellate Authority.

Reliable information on the proportion of those refused asylum or exceptional leave to remain in the latest 12 months who were subsequently removed is not available. Information on the nationality of persons removed is not available due to data recording problems.

Information on asylum applications and initial decisions is published regularly in the annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", a copy of which is available in the Library, and from the RDS website: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1/html

Applications for asylum to the UK and initial decisions⁽¹⁶⁾ for nationals of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Somalia and Iraq, excluding dependents, August 2000 to July 2001⁽¹⁷⁾

Month Applications Initial decisions Grants of asylum Percentage of initial decisions Grant of ELR Percentage of initial decisions Refusals Percentage ofinitial decisions

Afghanistan

August 2000 495 180 15 9 40 23 120 68

September 2000 535 175 10 6 30 16 135 77

October 2000 560 410 45 11 30 7 340 82

November 2000 550 515 115 23 110 22 285 56

December 2000 535 545 130 24 255 47 160 29

January 2001 510 1,020 175 17 555 55 290 28

February 2001 615 1,320 225 17 785 59 310 24

March 2001 680 2,045 375 18 1,215 59 450 22

April 2001 700 930 195 21 550 59 185 20

May 2001 900 1,025 220 22 615 60 190 19

June 2001 910 985 220 22 600 61 165 17

July 2001 810 875 220 25 485 55 165 19

Total 7,790 10,020 1,955 19 5,265 53 2,800 28

Sri Lanka

August 2000 445 470 45 10 25 6 365 78

September 2000 470 405 40 10 15 4 320 79

October 2000 565 675 105 15 10 1 565 83

November 2000 675 895 110 12 10 1 775 87

December 2000 610 770 90 12 20 3 655 85

January 2001 570 1,240 140 11 40 3 1,065 86

February 2001 435 1,495 205 14 40 3 1,245 83

March 2001 410 1,950 260 13 90 5 1,600 82

April 2001 445 865 125 15 60 7 675 78

May 2001 425 805 105 13 40 5 660 82

June 2001 415 695 85 12 30 4 585 84

July 2001 355 565 85 15 30 5 450 80

Total 5,815 10,835 1,395 13 415 4 8,965 83

Somalia

August 2000 615 680 210 31 125 19 325 48

September 2000 545 540 95 18 60 11 360 67

October 2000 485 445 105 23 30 6 315 70

November 2000 435 615 185 30 70 11 360 58

December 2000 420 525 160 30 80 16 285 54

January 2001 500 705 260 37 155 22 295 41

February 2001 380 805 345 43 165 20 300 37

March 2001 470 1,135 390 34 265 24 480 42

April 2001 420 565 240 42 140 25 185 33

May 2001 495 700 290 42 175 25 235 33

June 2001 505 460 180 39 135 29 145 32

July 2001 710 520 185 36 170 33 165 32

Total 5,980 7,690 2,645 34 1,570 20 3,440 45

Iraq

August 2000 870 510 80 15 220 43 210 41

September 2000 1,035 345 45 14 105 30 200 58

October 2000 1,185 490 30 7 15 3 445 91

November 2000 1,205 580 60 10 25 5 495 85

December 2000 695 530 35 7 40 7 455 86

January 2001 755 1,180 65 6 90 7 1,030 87

February 2001 710 890 90 10 110 12 690 78

March 2001 425 1,280 105 8 190 15 985 77

April 2001 295 630 60 10 120 19 445 71

May 2001 340 780 65 8 135 17 580 74

June 2001 440 580 65 11 110 19 405 70

July 2001 580 580 45 8 125 22 410 71

Total 8,535 8,380 740 9 1,285 15 6,360 76

Month	Applications	Initial decisions	Grants of asylum	Percentage of initial decisions	Grant of ELR	Percentage of initial decisions	Refusals	Percentage ofinitial decisions
	Afghanistan
August 2000	495	180	15	9	40	23	120	68
September 2000	535	175	10	6	30	16	135	77
October 2000	560	410	45	11	30	7	340	82
November 2000	550	515	115	23	110	22	285	56
December 2000	535	545	130	24	255	47	160	29
January 2001	510	1,020	175	17	555	55	290	28
February 2001	615	1,320	225	17	785	59	310	24
March 2001	680	2,045	375	18	1,215	59	450	22
April 2001	700	930	195	21	550	59	185	20
May 2001	900	1,025	220	22	615	60	190	19
June 2001	910	985	220	22	600	61	165	17
July 2001	810	875	220	25	485	55	165	19

Total	7,790	10,020	1,955	19	5,265	53	2,800	28

	Sri Lanka
August 2000	445	470	45	10	25	6	365	78
September 2000	470	405	40	10	15	4	320	79
October 2000	565	675	105	15	10	1	565	83
November 2000	675	895	110	12	10	1	775	87
December 2000	610	770	90	12	20	3	655	85
January 2001	570	1,240	140	11	40	3	1,065	86
February 2001	435	1,495	205	14	40	3	1,245	83
March 2001	410	1,950	260	13	90	5	1,600	82
April 2001	445	865	125	15	60	7	675	78
May 2001	425	805	105	13	40	5	660	82
June 2001	415	695	85	12	30	4	585	84
July 2001	355	565	85	15	30	5	450	80

Total	5,815	10,835	1,395	13	415	4	8,965	83

	Somalia
August 2000	615	680	210	31	125	19	325	48
September 2000	545	540	95	18	60	11	360	67
October 2000	485	445	105	23	30	6	315	70
November 2000	435	615	185	30	70	11	360	58
December 2000	420	525	160	30	80	16	285	54
January 2001	500	705	260	37	155	22	295	41
February 2001	380	805	345	43	165	20	300	37
March 2001	470	1,135	390	34	265	24	480	42
April 2001	420	565	240	42	140	25	185	33
May 2001	495	700	290	42	175	25	235	33
June 2001	505	460	180	39	135	29	145	32
July 2001	710	520	185	36	170	33	165	32

Total	5,980	7,690	2,645	34	1,570	20	3,440	45

	Iraq
August 2000	870	510	80	15	220	43	210	41
September 2000	1,035	345	45	14	105	30	200	58
October 2000	1,185	490	30	7	15	3	445	91
November 2000	1,205	580	60	10	25	5	495	85
December 2000	695	530	35	7	40	7	455	86
January 2001	755	1,180	65	6	90	7	1,030	87
February 2001	710	890	90	10	110	12	690	78
March 2001	425	1,280	105	8	190	15	985	77
April 2001	295	630	60	10	120	19	445	71
May 2001	340	780	65	8	135	17	580	74
June 2001	440	580	65	11	110	19	405	70
July 2001	580	580	45	8	125	22	410	71

Total	8,535	8,380	740	9	1,285	15	6,360	76

⁽¹⁶⁾ Cases decided under normal criteria. Excludes cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Provisional data.

Notes:

All data except percentages are rounded to nearest five.

Columns may not sum to totals due to rounding.

Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.

12 Nov 2001 : Column: 561W

Nick Tucker

Mrs. Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the investigation by the Criminal Cases Review Commission into the case of Mr. Nick Tucker to report. [13440]

Mr. Keith Bradley: The Criminal Cases Review Commission commenced its review of Nicholas Tucker's conviction on 31 May 2001. It has made progress with the case but is unable to say when it will complete its consideration.

Badger Baiting

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make badger baiting a recordable crime. [13891]

12 Nov 2001 : Column: 562W

Mr. Denham: Convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings under sections 1(1) and (3), 2 and 3 of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 are recordable by police forces on the Police National Computer. These include offences of wilfully killing, injuring or taking a badger, cruelly ill-treating a badger, and intentionally or recklessly interfering with a badger sett, including damaging or destroying a sett or causing a dog to enter a sett.

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