Asylum Seekers: Ethiopia and Eritrea

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many applications for asylum have been received in each of the past 10 years from people from (a) Ethiopia, and (b) Eritrea; and in each of these years how many such applications have been granted; how many applicants have been allowed leave to remain; and how many applications have been refused. [HL164]

The table below shows the outcomes of the applications made in each year from 2003 to 2006 for nationals of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Information prior to 2003 is not available.

*Outcomes of asylum applications made in 2003-06 for nationals of Ethiopia and Eritrea ^(P)*
Number of principal applications
Asylum applications of which estimated outcomes (including appeal outcomes at Immigration Appellate Authority/Asylum and Immigration Tribunal ⁽¹⁾)
		Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum	Not recognised as a refugee but granted ELR, HP or DL ⁽²⁾	Refused asylum, ELR, HP or DL, or withdrawn by appellant ⁽³⁾	Applications withdrawn	Cases with decision not known ^{(4) (5)}
2003
Ethiopia	640	125	130	375	*	5
Eritrea	950	235	205	495	*	20
Total Applications	49,405	7,650	5,245	33,635	1,325	1,555
2004
Ethiopia	540	80	110	320	5	25
Eritrea	1,105	330	210	510	10	40
Total Applications	33,960	4,370	3,720	23,860	1,080	930
2005
Ethiopia	385	80	45	235	5	20
Eritrea	1,760	910	135	600	5	110
Total Applications	25,710	4,370	2,850	16,000	865	1,630
2006
Ethiopia	200	45	10	115	-	35
Eritrea	2,585	1,155	75	990	15	350
Total Applications	23,610	4,040	2,185	13,375	920	3,090
^(P) Figures are provisional and rounded to the nearest 5 (- = 0, * = 1 or 2).
⁽¹⁾ Appeals on cases refused at initial decision, ie does not include outcomes of cases reconsidered prior to appeal or appeals on grants of ELR/HP/DL. Excludes cases that were successful after appeal to the AIT or higher courts, but a very small proportion is involved.
⁽²⁾ Humanitarian protection (HP) and discretionary leave (DL) replaced exceptional leave to remain (ELR) from 1 April 2003.
⁽³⁾ Includes appeals awaiting an outcome; a small proportion of these may result in grant of asylum.
⁽⁴⁾ No confirmation of a decision had been received when these statistics were compiled on 5 May 2007. These figures are not comparable with other published figures.
⁽⁵⁾ Includes cases withdrawn by the Home Office.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many failed asylum seekers and their dependants from (a) Ethiopia, and (b) Eritrea have to their knowledge left this country in each of the past 10 years (i) voluntarily without financial assistance; (ii) voluntarily with financial assistance; and (iii) by forcible removal; and how many of these have returned to Ethiopia and Eritrea respectively. [HL165]

The accompanying tables show (1) the number of Ethiopian and Eritrean principal asylum applicants removed from the UK between 1997 and 2003, and (2) the number of Ethiopian and Eritrean asylum applicants, including dependants, removed from the UK between 2004 and 2006 broken down by destination and type of removal.

Prior to 2004, nationality data for dependants of asylum applicants and data on the type of removal from the UK by nationality are not available.

It is not possible to say how many asylum applicants left voluntarily with or without financial assistance; this information would only be available by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.

Published statistics on immigration and asylum are available from the Library of the House.

*Removals, voluntary departures and assisted returns ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ of asylum applicants, excluding dependants ⁽³⁾, nationals of Eritrea and Ethiopia, 1997 to 2003 ⁽⁴⁾*
Number of removals
Nationality	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001 (E)	2002 (E)	2003 (E)
Eritrea	5	*	..	..	5	5	10
Ethiopia	15	10	..	..	10	10	5
⁽¹⁾ Includes enforced removals and persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them.
⁽²⁾ Includes persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration from 1999 onwards.
⁽³⁾ Figures exclude dependants of asylum applicants removed. Data on dependants removed by nationality are not available prior to 2004.
⁽⁴⁾ Figures rounded to the nearest five (* = 1 or 2).
^(E) Data have been estimated due to data quality issues.
.. Data are not available for 1999 and 2000

*Removals, voluntary departures and assisted returns ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ of asylum applicants, including dependants, nationals of Eritrea, in 2004 to 2006 ⁽³⁾*
Number of removals
Year	2004	2005	2006 ^(P)
Total asylum applicants removed ⁽⁴⁾	45	130	455
of whom: removed to Eritrea	*	*	*
of whom: removed to other and destination unknown	45	130	455
Persons removed and voluntary departures ⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾	45	130	450
of whom: removed to Eritrea	-	*	*
of whom: removed to other and destination unknown	45	130	450
Persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes ⁽⁷⁾	*	*	5
of whom: removed to Eritrea	*	-	-
of whom: removed to other and destination unknown	-	*	5
⁽¹⁾ Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them and persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration.
⁽²⁾ Since January 2005 figures include those whom it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.
⁽³⁾ Figures are rounded to the nearest five (- = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding.
⁽⁴⁾ Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, including dependants.
⁽⁵⁾ Includes persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them and since January 2005 those whom it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.
⁽⁶⁾ Excludes assisted voluntary returns.
⁽⁷⁾ Persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration. May include some cases where enforcement action has been initiated.
^(P) Provisional figures.

*Removals, voluntary departures and assisted returns ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ of asylum applicants, including dependants, nationals of Ethiopia, in 2004 to 2006 ⁽³⁾*
Number of removals
Year	2004	2005	2006 ^(P)
Total asylum applicants removed ⁽⁴⁾	35	55	125
of whom: removed to Ethiopia	20	35	75
of whom: removed to other and destination unknown	15	20	45
Persons removed and voluntary departures ⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾	25	40	95
of whom: removed to Ethiopia	5	25	45
of whom: removed to other and destination unknown	15	20	45
Persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes ⁽⁷⁾	10	15	30
of whom: removed to Ethiopia	10	15	30
of whom: removed to other and destination unknown	-	-	-
⁽¹⁾ Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them and persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration.
⁽²⁾ Since January 2005 figures include those whom it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.
⁽³⁾ Figures are rounded to the nearest five (- = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding.
⁽⁴⁾ Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, including dependants.
⁽⁵⁾ Includes persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them and since January 2005 those whom it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.
⁽⁶⁾ Excludes assisted voluntary returns.
⁽⁷⁾ Persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organization for Migration. May include some cases where enforcement action has been initiated.
^(P) Provisional figures.

Volume 696: debated on Wednesday 14 November 2007