asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many unsuccessful asylum applicants left the United Kingdom (a) voluntarily, and (b) under compulsion in each year from 2002 to 2005.[HL6833]
The accompanying table shows the number of asylum applicants who were removed from the UK in each year from 2002 to 2005, broken down by type of removal. It is not possible to say at what stage in the asylum process people are, at the time of their removal. Published statistics on immigration and asylum issues are available onthe Home Office's research development andstatistics website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
Principal asylum applicants removed from the United Kingdom, from 2002 to 2005(1)
Year 2002 2003 2004 2005(2)(P) Total principal asylum applicants(3) 10,740 13,005 12,585 13,670 of whom: left under assisted voluntary return programmes(4) 895 1,755 2,300 2,905 were enforced removals(5)(6) 9,845 11,250 10,285 10,760
(1) Figures rounded to the nearest five, and may not sum due to rounding.
(2) Removals in 2005 include those who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.
(3) Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, excluding dependants.
(4) Persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration. May include some on-entry cases and some cases where enforcement action has been initiated.
(5) Includes persons departing “voluntarily” after enforcement action had been initiated against them.
(6) Excludes assisted voluntary returns.
(P) Provisional figures.