---

22 Jun 2004 : Column 1350W—continued

Treatment Costs

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS of treating the symptoms of (a) alcohol, (b) cannabis, (c) heroin, (d) cocaine and crack and (e) ecstasy abuse was in the last year for which figures are available. [179959]

Miss Melanie Johnson: The estimated annual cost of alcohol misuse to the national health service is up to £1.7 billion in England.

Information regarding the cost of drug misuse to the NHS is not available. However, in 2003–04, the Government's pooled budget totalled £243.6 million for the treatment of drug misusers. In addition, it is estimated that a further £200 million of mainstream funds was spent on the treatment of drug misuse.
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1351W
 

HOME DEPARTMENT

Overseas Doctors

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the requirement for overseas doctors to pay visa renewal fees for employment within the NHS. [179082]

Mr. Browne: Overseas doctors here for postgraduate training do not require work permits but must meet the requirements of the immigration rules for leave to remain in this capacity. Charging for general leave to remain applications was introduced on 1 August 2003 and individual applicants must pay the requisite fee. The fee is £155 for a postal application and £250 for personal callers who wish to apply at one of the four Public Enquiry Offices.

Overseas doctors who seek employment other than post-graduate training require work permits. Charging for leave to remain in connection with work permits was introduced on 1 April and individuals now apply for their own leave to remain. The £121 fee is the responsibility of the individual. However the employer may wish to pay on the individual's behalf.

Application Registration Cards

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Application Registration Cards have been issued since January 2002. [170333]

Mr. Browne: Up to the end of March 2004, approximately 200,000 Application Registration Cards (ARCs) had been issued. This figure includes cards issued to new asylum seekers and their dependants as well as replacements where, for instance, the original has been lost or damaged.

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether a scheme of transitional support will be offered to asylum seekers from EU accession countries from 1 May; [168693]

(2) what the status will be of asylum seekers from EU accession countries who are sick or medically unfit for work from 1 May. [168697]

Mr. Browne: From 1 May 2004 nationals of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta, are no longer be eligible for support from the National Asylum Support Service or a local authority under the Asylum Support (Interim Provisions) Regulations 1999. This is because of the effect of paragraph 5 schedule 3 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1352W
 

There is no scheme of transitional support for asylum seekers from the EU accession states. Asylum seekers from the eight Eastern European accession countries, namely the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia ("the A8 countries"), will generally be able to take up employment in the UK, providing they register under the Worker Registration Scheme, which will become operational from 1 May 2004. Once they have secured employment and registered under the scheme, asylum seekers from the A8 countries may become eligible for family tax credit and child benefit. If they are on low incomes they can also access housing benefit and council tax benefit. Part time workers may also be eligible for income based job seeker's allowance or income support, provided they meet the usual conditions for those benefits.

Maltese and Cypriot nationals will have the same rights as existing EEA nationals. If they are seeking work they have the right to reside and look for work for six months. If they satisfy the Habitual Residence Test they will be eligible to apply for income related benefits and for social housing and homelessness assistance. Maltese and Cypriot nationals who are not economically active will only have a right to reside if they are self sufficient and are not placing an unreasonable burden on UK social assistance funds.

Support will continue for unaccompanied asylum seeking children until their 18th birthday.

An asylum seeker who is sick or medically unfit for work will be able to remain in the UK if he can become self supporting, for example if he can stay with friends or relatives.

If an accession state national wishes to return to his country of origin, he can seek assistance from the local authority who have a power under the Withholding and Withdrawal of Support (Travel and Assistance and Temporary Accommodation) Regulations 2002 to arrange travel. Local authorities also have the power to provide short-term accommodation and support for families pending return. For the cases that were formerly supported by NASS or by a local authority under the Interim Provisions the Government will reimburse local authorities' reasonable costs in implementing these arrangements. Additionally, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) can make arrangements for their return.

Schedule 3 of the 2002 Act does not prevent the exercise of a power or the performance of a duty if, and to the extent that, its exercise or performance is necessary for the purpose of avoiding a breach of a person's Convention rights or a person's rights under the Community Treaties. Some asylum seekers who are sick or medically unfit for work may be provided with support by NASS or the local authority under the Asylum Support (Interim Provisions) Regulations 1999 if support is considered necessary to avoid a breach of a person's Convention rights.
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1353W
 

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children sought asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom, broken down by (a) UK entry point and (b) originating country in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [175951]

Mr. Browne: Data on the number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children that arrive at specific ports of entry are not collated centrally (additionally some
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1354W
 
unaccompanied minors may arrive in the UK and subsequently apply for asylum in country). Information on the originating country of applicants is not available. The information requested could be obtained from individual case files only at disproportionate cost.

The table presents data on asylum applications from unaccompanied children broken down by year, location of application and nationality.
Unaccompanied 1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 2001 to 2003, principal applicants only

	2001 4			2002 5,6			2003 6
Nationality	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country
Albania	85	10	75	300	25	275	145	5	140
Czech Republic	20	20	—	10	5	5	—	—	—
SAM(10)	475	20	460	725	35	690	15	*	15
Macedonia	100	5	95	110	5	105	55	5	50
Moldova	35	10	30	145	20	125	5	—	5
Poland	25	25	—	10	5	5	60	5	60
Romania	50	15	35	130	20	110	5	—	5
Russia	5	*	5	10	5	10	170	5	170
Turkey	95	85	10	85	30	55	85	55	35
Ukraine	*	*	*	5	—	5	5	—	5
Other Former USSR	10	5	5	10	5	10	5	*	5
Other Former Yugoslavia	80	*	75	5	*	*	*	—	*
Europe Other	—	—	—	*	—	*	*	—	*
Europe Total	985	195	790	1,545	155	1,390	560	70	490
Colombia	5	5	*	5	*	5	5	*	*
Ecuador	5	5	*	5	*	5	5	*	5
Jamaica	*	—	*	15	5	15	5	—	5
Americas Other	5	5	5	—	—	—	5	5	*
Americas Total	20	10	10	30	5	20	15	5	10
Algeria	20	5	15	40	10	35	20	*	20
Angola	145	30	115	210	15	195	115	10	110
Burundi	20	5	15	30	10	25	60	10	55
Cameroon	20	10	15	30	5	25	20	*	20
Congo	30	10	20	25	10	20	15	*	15
Democratic Republic of Congo	80	30	55	145	40	105	95	10	85
Eritrea	110	25	85	220	80	140	125	55	70
Ethiopia	140	25	120	140	60	80	100	30	70
Gambia	*	*	*	5	5	*	5	—	5
Ghana	5	5	*	5	*	5	5	*	5
Ivory Coast	5	—	5	5	—	5	10	*	10
Kenya	15	5	10	30	5	25	25	*	25
Nigeria	35	30	10	55	35	20	35	20	15
Rwanda	40	5	35	65	10	55	20	5	15
Sierra Leone	130	80	50	110	70	35	35	20	15
Somalia	200	55	140	345	40	305	255	40	215
Sudan	5	5	5	15	5	15	30	5	25
Tanzania	*	—	*	5	*	5	5	—	5
Uganda	45	5	45	105	*	100	125	*	125
Zimbabwe	35	30	5	90	70	15	10	5	10
Africa Other	25	5	20	70	25	50	105	25	80
Africa Total	1,115	360	755	1,745	490	1,255	1,225	235	990
Iran	25	20	5	50	20	35	65	15	50
Iraq	180	130	55	1,310	125	1,190	220	15	205
Middle East Other	20	10	10	50	15	35	30	10	20
Middle East Total	225	160	65	1,410	155	1,255	310	40	270
Afghanistan	675	620	55	720	175	545	235	90	145
Bangladesh	15	*	15	60	*	60	50	*	50
China	135	85	55	260	120	135	145	60	85
India	20	15	5	60	25	35	60	20	35
Pakistan	25	20	5	40	15	25	45	10	35
Sri Lanka	140	100	35	125	55	70	15	5	10
Vietnam	90	55	35	180	35	145	125	10	115
Asia Other	5	*	5	15	—	15	10	5	10
Asia Total	1,100	895	205	1,460	430	1,035	685	200	480
Nationally not known	25	25	—	5	5	*	5	5	*
Grand Total	3,470	1,645	1,820	6,200	1,240	4,955	2,800	555	2,245

⁽⁴⁾ Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.
⁽⁵⁾ Unaccompanied at point of arrival, aged (or if no proof) determined to be 17 or under and not known to be joining relative or guardian in the United Kingdom.
⁽⁶⁾ Figures exclude disputed age cases.
⁽⁷⁾ May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices.
⁽⁸⁾ Not comparable with manual counts data prior to 2002.
⁽⁹⁾ Provisional figures.
⁽¹⁰⁾ Serbia and Montenegro (SAM) replaced Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) from 5 February 2003. SAM comprises the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Montenegro, and the Province of Kosovo (administered by the UN on an interim basis since 1999).



 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1355W
 

Information on applications from unaccompanied asylum seeking children and other asylum statistics are published in quarterly web pages, the most recent covering the first quarter of 2004, 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 of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unaccompanied children
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1356W
 
have applied for asylum in the UK in each year since 1979, broken down by nationality. [177027]

Mr. Browne [holding answer 8 June 2004]: The table shows the number of applications received for asylum from unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the United Kingdom, by nationality, for 1999–2003, the latest published data. The available information for earlier years is published in successive editions of the Home Office annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", copies of which are available from the Library of the House, and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
Applications received for asylum Unaccompanied1,2,3 children, aged 17 or under, applying for asylum in the United Kingdom, by nationality, 1999 to 2003 Number of principal applicants

	1999 4			2000 4
Nationality	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country
Albania	125	115	10	95	25	70
Czech Republic	30	30	—	20	20	—
SAM	1,520	190	1,335	665	70	595
Macedonia	—	—	—	—	—	—
Moldova	*	—	*	5	*	5
Poland	45	45	—	15	15	—
Romania	85	*	85	40	10	30
Russia	5	—	5	*	—	*
Turkey	115	105	10	155	135	15
Ukraine	*	—	*	5	*	5
Other former USSR	25	20	5	20	15	5
Other former Yugoslavia	30	20	10	35	*	35
Europe Other	10	10	—	5	*	*
Europe Total	1,995	535	1,460	1,055	290	765
Colombia	20	15	*	5	5	—
Ecuador	15	10	*	5	5	*
Jamaica	5	5	-	5	5	-
Americas Other	5	5	-	*	*	-
Americas Total	40	35	5	15	15	*
Algeria	10	5	5	25	10	15
Angola	40	25	20	100	35	70
Burundi	10	*	10	20	10	10
Cameroon	—	—	—	5	5	*
Congo	5	5	*	10	5	10
Democratic Republic Congo	35	30	5	45	35	10
Eritrea	95	50	45	85	35	50
Ethiopia	55	30	25	60	25	35
Gambia	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ghana	*	—	*	10	10	*
Ivory Coast	*	*	—	5	*	5
Kenya	10	5	5	10	5	5
Nigeria	45	40	5	25	20	5
Rwanda	35	10	25	50	5	45
Sierra Leone	65	55	10	75	60	15
Somalia	190	155	35	175	100	80
Sudan	5	5	*	10	10	*
Tanzania	*	*	—	5	*	*
Uganda	10	—	10	25	*	25
Zimbabwe	5	5	—	35	30	*
Africa Other	10	10	—	25	20	5
Africa Total	630	435	200	800	415	380
Iran	15	15	*	65	50	15
Iraq	60	50	5	110	85	25
Middle East Other	15	15		15	10	5
Middle East Total	90	80	10	190	145	45
Afghanistan	215	195	20	300	265	35
Bangladesh	5	5	*	5	*	5
China	165	45	120	115	60	60
India	15	10	*	15	15	*
Pakistan	20	15	5	25	20	5
Sri Lanka	125	105	25	170	140	30
Vietnam	5	*	5	20	10	10
Asia Other	5	—	5	5	*	*
Asia Total	550	370	180	655	510	145
Nationality not known	40	40	—	20	20	—
Grand Total	3,350	1,500	1,850	2,735	1,395	1,340

 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1357W
 

	2001 4			2002 5,6
Nationality	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country
Albania	85	10	75	300	25	275
Czech Republic	20	20	—	10	5	5
SAM	475	20	460	725	35	690
Macedonia	100	5	95	110	5	105
Moldova	35	10	30	145	20	125
Poland	25	25	—	10	5	5
Romania	50	15	35	130	20	110
Russia	5	*	5	10	5	10
Turkey	95	85	10	85	30	55
Ukraine	*	*	*	5	—	5
Other former USSR	10	5	5	10	5	10
Other former Yugoslavia	80	*	75	5	*	*
Europe Other	—	—	—	*	—	*
Europe Total	985	195	790	1,545	155	1,390
Colombia	5	5	*	5	*	5
Ecuador	5	5	*	5	*	5
Jamaica	*	—	*	15	5	15
Americas Other	5	5	5	—	—	—
Americas Total	20	10	10	30	5	20
Algeria	20	5	15	40	10	35
Angola	145	30	115	210	15	195
Burundi	20	5	15	30	10	25
Cameroon	20	10	15	30	5	25
Congo	30	10	20	25	10	20
Democratic Republic Congo	80	30	55	145	40	105
Eritrea	110	25	85	220	80	140
Ethiopia	140	25	120	140	60	80
Gambia	*	*	*	5	5	*
Ghana	5	5	*	5	*	5
Ivory Coast	5	—	5	5	—	5
Kenya	15	5	10	30	5	25
Nigeria	35	30	10	55	35	20
Rwanda	40	5	35	65	10	55
Sierra Leone	130	80	50	110	70	35
Somalia	200	55	140	345	40	305
Sudan	5	5	5	15	5	15
Tanzania	*	—	*	5	*	5
Uganda	45	5	45	105	*	100
Zimbabwe	35	30	5	90	70	15
Africa Other	25	5	20	70	25	50
Africa Total	1,115	360	755	1,745	490	1,255
Iran	25	20	5	50	20	35
Iraq	180	130	55	1,310	125	1,190
Middle East Other	20	10	10	50	15	35
Middle East Total	225	160	65	1,410	155	1,255
Afghanistan	675	620	55	720	175	545
Bangladesh	15	*	15	60	*	60
China	135	85	55	260	120	135
India	20	15	5	60	25	35
Pakistan	25	20	5	40	15	25
Sri Lanka	140	100	35	125	55	70
Vietnam	90	55	35	180	35	145
Asia Other	5	*	5	15	—	15
Asia Total	1,100	895	205	1,460	430	1,035
Nationality not known	25	25	—	5	5	*
Grand Total	3,470	1,645	1,820	6,200	1,240	4,955

 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1359W
 

	2003 6
Nationality	Total	Applied at port	Applied in country
Albania	145	5	140
Czech Republic	—	—	—
SAM	15	*	15
Macedonia	55	5	50
Moldova	5	—	5
Poland	60	5	60
Romania	5	—	5
Russia	170	5	170
Turkey	85	55	35
Ukraine	5	—	5
Other former USSR	5	*	5
Other former Yugoslavia	*	—	*
Europe Other	*	—	*
Europe Total	560	70	490
Colombia	5	*	*
Ecuador	5	*	5
Jamaica	5	—	5
Americas Other	5	5	*
Americas Total	15	5	10
Algeria	20	*	20
Angola	115	10	110
Burundi	60	10	55
Cameroon	20	*	20
Congo	15	*	15
Democratic Republic Congo	95	10	85
Eritrea	125	55	70
Ethiopia	100	30	70
Gambia	5	—	5
Ghana	5	*	5
Ivory Coast	10	*	10
Kenya	25	*	25
Nigeria	35	20	15
Rwanda	20	5	15
Sierra Leone	35	20	15
Somalia	255	40	215
Sudan	30	5	25
Tanzania	5	—	5
Uganda	125	*	125
Zimbabwe	10	5	10
Africa Other	105	25	80
Africa Total	1,225	235	990
Iran	65	15	50
Iraq	220	15	205
Middle East Other	30	10	20
Middle East Total	310	40	270
Afghanistan	235	90	145
Bangladesh	50	*	50
China	145	60	85
India	60	20	35
Pakistan	45	10	35
Sri Lanka	15	5	10
Vietnam	125	10	115
Asia Other	10	5	10
Asia Total	685	200	480
Nationality not known	5	5	2,
Grand Total	2,800	555	245

⁽¹¹⁾ Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with *=1 or 2.
⁽¹²⁾ Unaccompanied at point of arrival, aged (or if no proof) determined to be 17 or under and not known to be joining a relative or guardian in the United Kingdom.
⁽¹³⁾ Figures exclude disputed age cases.
⁽¹⁴⁾ May exclude some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices.
⁽¹⁵⁾ Not comparable with manual counts data prior to 2002.
⁽¹⁶⁾ Provisional figures.



 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1360W
 

Ms Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of asylum seekers detained at Campsfield during the last year (a) were detained at ports and airports before going through immigration, (b) were detained when they first applied for asylum, (c) were detained before receiving a response to their claim from the Home Office, (d) were detained before exhausting all their appeal rights, (e) had been given removal directions, (f) were overstayers and (g) were detained for more than (i) one month, (ii) three months and (iii) a year. [178109]

Mr. Browne: The latest available information shows that at 27 March 2004 75 people were detained at Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre, 60 of whom had claimed asylum at some stage.

Information on the number of people who were detained over the course of a year and details of their cases is not available, except by examination of individual case-files at disproportionate cost.
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1361W
 

Information on the length of detention of the 75 people who were detained at Campsfield House at 27 March 2004 is shown in the table.
People recorded as being detained at Campsfield House IRC as at 27 March 2004 1,2

Length of detention	Total detainees	Of whom, asylum seekers
14 Days or less	10	5
15 to 29 days	10	10
One month to less than two months	25	20
Two months to less than three months	10	10
Three months to less than four months	5	5
Four months to less than six months	5	5
Six months to less than one year	10	10
One year or more	(19)—	(19)—
Total	75	60

⁽¹⁷⁾ Figures are rounded to nearest 5, with ⁽¹⁸⁾ denoting 1 or 2. Figures may not sum to total due to rounding.
⁽¹⁹⁾ Two months is defined as 61 days; four months is defined as 122 days; six months is defined as 182 days.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being introduced to improve the quality of initial asylum decisions. [177932]

Mr. Browne: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her on 17 May 2004, Official Report, column 751W.

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were living in the Greater London area on the most recent date for which figures are available. [177828]

Mr. Browne: The following table shows the number of asylum seekers (including dependants) who were supported in National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation, and those who were in receipt of subsistence only support, in Greater London as at the end of March 2004.

Information on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS is published in the quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom", available from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

	In receipt of subsistence only support(20)	Supported in NASS accommodation(20)
Greater London	19,920	2,985
Of which:
Barking and Dagenham	395	55
Barnet	615	80
Bexley	80	5
Brent	1,385	70
Bromley	80	20
Camden	430	45
Croydon	615	105
Ealing	1,305	115
Enfield	1,250	385
Greenwich	500	45
Hackney	1,040	195
Hammersmith & Fulham	325	90
Haringey	1,910	585
Harrow	530	70
Havering	40	5
Hillingdon	460	15
Hounslow	625	45
Islington	605	170
Kensington and Chelsea	175	20
Kingston upon Thames	120	25
Lambeth	880	95
Lewisham	620	75
Merton	390	25
Newham	1,810	200
Redbridge	595	60
Richmond upon Thames	70	15
Southwark	835	65
Sutton	110	20
Tower Hamlets	265	30
Waltham Forest	940	145
Wandsworth	590	60
Westminster	325	55
Other	*	—

⁽²⁰⁾ Including dependants
All figures are rounded to the nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.




 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1362W
 

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what criteria a decision to raise the resettlement quota for asylum seekers would be based. [177931]

Mr. Browne: The Gateway Protection Programme brings refugees to the UK, not asylum seekers. This is the first year in which we have operated the Programme. It is a complex operation and our current priority is ensuring the policy and procedures are working satisfactorily. We will be reviewing the scope for extending the Programme in future years in light of our initial experiences, including the available caseloads and identified needs, the contribution resettlement is able to make to refugee protection and the availability and costs of placements in the UK.

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers are being held in each prison in England and Wales. [177833]

Mr. Browne: Information on the number of persons who had claimed asylum at some stage and were detained in prison establishments in England and Wales on 27 March 2004 is shown in the table.

A recent assessment of figures supplied by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on immigration detention has highlighted an undercount of detainees held in prisons. The cases concerned are those immigration detainees who had completed their criminal sentence and had either been court-recommended for deportation or on conducive grounds but were still held in a prison pending deportation. At the end of March 2004 it is thought that there were approximately 200 such cases, some of whom may have claimed asylum at some stage. This issue is currently being looked into, and any necessary revisions to the regular statistics will be considered once we are satisfied that the issue has been resolved.
Asylum seekers⁽²¹⁾ recorded as being in detention in prisons in England and Wales solely under Immigration Act powers as at 27 March 20042,3

Prison establishment
Wormwood Scrubs	10
Norwich	5
Wandsworth	5
Belmarsh	5
Chelmsford	5
Manchester	5
Pentonville	5
Blakenhurst	5
Dorchester	5
Durham	5
Hull	5
Other prison establishments(24)	35
Total	85

⁽²¹⁾ Persons detained under Immigration Act powers who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage.
⁽²²⁾ Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 and exclude persons detained in police cells and those in dual detention.
⁽²³⁾ A recent assessment of figures supplied by IND on immigration detention has highlighted an undercount of detainees held in prisons.
⁽²⁴⁾ Other prison establishments with 5 or fewer detainees.



 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1363W
 

Information on persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers is published on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate web site at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the results of the pilot schemes on requiring asylum seekers to receive decisions in person. [177868]

Mr. Browne: The pilot exercise for the service in person of decisions was restricted to the service of appeal determinations for asylum seekers whose applications had been certified under schedule 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The pilot was discontinued as legislative measures introduced under part 5 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 changed the point at which appeal rights became exhausted. As a consequence the pilot was curtailed and while the results were considered encouraging they were not thought conclusive.

From 1 April 2003 only cases with an adverse statutory review decision were considered suitable for service in person as that was the point at which all appeal rights were exhausted. Since then the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) has received notification of 1,145 statutory review cases of which 848 have been dismissed. Of these 143 have been served in person of which 31 have been removed from the United Kingdom.

Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to ensure that asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Iraq, particularly those with children, who cannot be removed and returned to their country of origin at the present time are not becoming destitute. [170038]

Mr. Browne: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) may provide support to eligible asylum seekers who still await a final decision on their claim for asylum. Asylum seekers who receive a positive decision on their claim are able to receive income support if they are unable to be self-supporting. With the exception of families including children under the age of 18 support for asylum seekers whose claims are unsuccessful must end no later than 21 days after the receipt of the final decision on the asylum claim. Families currently remain
 
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supported until either they leave the country, the youngest child reaches the age of 18 or they fail to comply with directions for their removal.

Unsuccessful asylum seekers whose support has stopped who are unable to leave due to circumstances entirely beyond their control may be provided with accommodation under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

The Home Office has not taken any decision to suspend enforced returns to Iraq. We recognise that action by insurgents has created difficult problems in some areas, but we do not accept that this applies to all areas. Returns will be taken forward on a case by case basis and we will only return to particular areas assessed as sufficiently stable, where we are satisfied that the individuals concerned will not be at risk. The situation will be kept under constant review and we are still working with the coalition authorities to return those who are not at risk of persecution and do not need humanitarian protection.

The voluntary return route to Iraq used by the IOM is not open at this time but the IOM continues to process applications for voluntary return and will assist those who wish to return voluntarily as soon as it is practical to do so. Iraqi nationals who are willing to register with the IOM for a voluntary departure would be eligible for

section 4 support while they are waiting for their voluntary return to be arranged.

Both enforced and voluntary returns are possible for failed asylum seekers from Afghanistan and accommodation under section 4 will be provided only where they are seeking to return but cannot immediately do so.

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