The number of individuals who receive a decision to refuse them asylum and the number who are removed from the UK or depart voluntarily are published quarterly and can be found on the Home Office website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
The following table shows the number of outstanding asylum appeals before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) in each region of the UK and in England only in December 2006, December 2007, December 2008 and November 2009.
December 2006 December 2007 December 2008 November 2009 Midlands 507 376 321 495 Northeast and Northwest 940 635 556 898 Scotland 182 241 167 172 Birmingham ASC1 — — 106 118 Northern Region 1,629 1,252 1,150 1,683 Central London 3,632 2,111 1,344 2,042 Greater London and the Southeast 596 418 366 983 Wales and Southwest 172 126 102 205 Loughborough/Leicester1 413 105 30 19 Southern Region 4,813 2,760 1,842 3,249 AIT total 6,442 4,012 2,992 4,932 1 Birmingham, Loughborough and Leicester are Administrative Support Centres and not AIT hearing centres.
Prior to 2006 figures showing the number of outstanding appeals were based on a manual file reconciliation and subsequent appeal receipt and disposal figures. It is therefore not possible to break down those figures on either a regional basis or to reflect England only.
Provision for the temporary support of failed asylum seekers, in the form of subsistence and accommodation required to prevent destitution is only available in certain circumstances, primarily under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Details of the availability of support are set out on the UK Border Agency website at:
www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/support/apply/section4/
The Government have introduced proposals for reform of asylum support under the draft Immigration Bill which was published on 12 November. The objectives in reform are to ensure those seeking asylum are effectively supported during the determination of their claim; that the system for achieving this is as simple and efficient as possible; and that it works towards the return of those who have no protection needs and who have no right to be in the United Kingdom.
Funding for civil legal aid is available to anyone who qualifies, provided that the case is within the scope of the legal aid scheme. Each application is considered on an individual basis and is subject to the statutory test of the applicant’s means.
The following table provides the number and proportion of persons granted asylum at initial decision stage of their application in the UK. It also includes the number and proportion of persons granted humanitarian protection and discretionary leave in each of the last five years.
Information on immigration and asylum are published annually and quarterly. Annual statistics and the latest statistics for Q3 2009 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/immigration-asylum-stats.html
Number of principal applicants Total applications Total initial decisions Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum As percentage of initial decision Not recognised as a refugee but granted humanitarian protection As percentage of initial decision Not recognised as a refugee but granted discretionary leave As percentage of initial decision Total 2004 33,960 46,020 1,565 3 160 0 3,835 8 40,465 2005 25,710 27,395 1,940 7 120 0 2,675 10 22,655 2006 23,610 20,930 2,170 10 55 0 2,245 11 16,460 2007 23,430 21,775 3,545 16 125 1 2,075 10 16,030 20083 25,930 19,400 3,725 19 95 0 2,075 11 13,505 1 Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest 5 (— = 0, * = 1 or 2). Figures may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. 2 Initial decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period and exclude the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. 3 Provisional figures.