To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on section 4 support in each of the last 10 years. (258002)

The costs of this support have been as follows:

No separate records of expenditure under Section 4 were maintained prior to 2003-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments the UK Border Agency makes to a single asylum seeker whose application is being processed in (a) the UK and (b) France; and what accommodation is provided for asylum seekers whose cases are under consideration in (i) the UK and (ii) France. (274413)

Not all asylum seekers in the United Kingdom are eligible for asylum support but those who do need support to avoid destitution may be provided with it under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 until their asylum claim is determined. Support takes the form of subsistence or accommodation or both, as necessary. Accommodation is provided on a “no-choice” basis in one of the designated areas in which there is a ready supply of accommodation.

Subsistence rates for single people per week are currently:

Single parent aged 18 or over—£42.16

Single person aged 25 or over—£42.16

Single person aged 18 or over, but under 25—£33.39

Single person aged 16 or over but under 18—£36.29 (paid to parent/guardian)

Single person under 16—£48.30 (Paid to parent/guardian)

A woman who is pregnant or who has children under the age of three, is entitled to extra payments.

The UK Border Agency does not make payments to support asylum seekers in France.