Forced Removals and Voluntary Departures Q2 April/May June 2015

Enforced removals from the UK increased by 1% to 12,609 in the year ending June 2015 compared with the previous year (12,539).

In the year ending June 2015, there were 4,189 enforced removals of people who had unsuccessfully sought asylum, down 4% from the previous year (4,351). This figure is 64% lower than the peak in 2004 (11,743) when this data series began. This long-term decrease in the enforced removal of those seeking asylum reflects the lower number of asylum applications since 2002.

In the year ending June 2015, 67% of total enforced removals were non-asylum cases (8,420), up from the previous year (8,188) but down from the peak of 10,070 in 2008.

Foreign National Offenders

The Home Office removes foreign national offenders using enforcement powers or via deportation. In the year ending June 2015, provisional data show that 5,414 foreign national offenders (FNOs) were removed, a 6% increase on the previous year (5,131). This number has been steadily increasing since the year ending March 2012 (4,539).

The number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed has increased by 12% in the year ending June 2015, to 16,519 from 14,772 for the previous year. While the figure is lower than that in 2004 (36,167), the number refused entry at port and subsequently departing has been increasing slowly since 2012.

In the year ending June 2015, there were 24,849 voluntary departures. This category has represented the largest proportion of those departing from the UK since the end of 2009. The comparison with the previous 12 months’ figure has not been included due to the retrospective nature of data-matching exercises that are undertaken in counting for some voluntary departures. This means that the figures for the latest periods are particularly subject to upward revision as matching checks are made on travellers after departure (see the section ‘About the figures’).

Removals and Voluntary Departures by Nationality

The highest number of enforced removals in the year ending June 2015 was for Pakistani nationals (1,681; 13% of the total). The second highest was for Albanian nationals (1,095; 9% of the total).

The highest number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed was for United States nationals (1,921; 12% of the total). The second and third highest numbers were for Albanian (1,381; 8% of the total) and Brazilian (793; 5% of the total) nationals. United States and Brazilian nationals who are not coming to the UK for work or for 6 months or more do not need to apply for, and be issued with, a visa prior to arrival. The first time that they can be refused entry will therefore be on arrival in the UK.

The highest number of voluntary departures in the year ending June 2015 was for Indian nationals (6,041; 24% of the total), who have also shown the largest decrease compared with the previous year (-945 or -14%). The second highest number was for Pakistani nationals (3,611; 15% of the total) voluntary departures.

For nationals of the European Union there were 25% more enforced removals (3,407) in the year ending June 2015 compared with the previous 12 months (2,731); nearly 50% more passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed (1,644 compared to 1,108); and 25% more voluntary departures (553 compared to 441). Increases in the removals of EU nationals comprise the removal of more criminals and those not exercising Treaty Rights

Departures by ‘Harm’ assessment

The harm matrix was introduced in 2007 for monitoring the Public Service Agreement (PSA) that then was applied to measure performance in removing the most harmful people first. However, interest in this topic remains despite PSAs being abolished; ‘higher harm’ assessments include people who have committed serious criminal and immigration offences.

In the year ending June 2015, 12,609 enforced removals and 24,849 voluntary departures were subject to an assessment for a harm rating, of which 17% and 1% respectively were assessed as ‘highest harm’. This is similar to the previous year, when 16% of enforced removals and 1% of total voluntary departures were assessed as ‘highest harm’.

Source:
http://tinyurl.com/ox2zvzk

Children Entering/Leaving Immigration Detention

- Q2 April/May June 2015

The number of children entering detention in the year ending June 2015 fell to 155 from 191 in the previous year. This was an 86% fall compared with the beginning of the data series in 2009 (1,119).

In the second quarter of 2015, 38 children entered detention, compared with 27 in the second quarter of 2014 and 45 in the second quarter of 2013. Of the 38 children, 17 were initially detained at Tinsley House (Family Unit) IRC, 15 at Cedars PDA and 6 at other IRCs and STHFs.

Of the 39 children leaving detention in the second quarter of 2015, only 4 were removed from the UK and 35 were granted temporary admission, temporary release or unconditional release. Of those leaving detention, 29 had been detained for less than four days, 9 for between four and seven days and 1 for between 15 and 28 days. The number of children removed from the UK on leaving detention has ranged from 2 out of 24 (8%) in the second quarter of 2011 to 23 out of 37 (62%) in the third quarter of 2011 and currently in this quarter 4 out of 39 (10%). There were no children in detention as at 30 June 2015.

Adults Entering/Leaving Immigration Detention

- Q2 April/May June 2015

The number of people entering detention in the year ending June 2015 increased by 10% to 32,053 from 29,122 in the previous year. Over the same period there was a similar increase of 9% in those leaving detention (from 29,055 to 31,628).

There was a continuing decline in the proportion of detainees being removed on leaving detention from the most recent peak in the year ending March 2011 of 64% to 49% in the year ending June 2015. Conversely, there was an increase in the proportion of detainees granted temporary admission or release, from 28% to 40%, and an increase in the proportion of detainees granted bail, from 6% to 9%, over the same periods.

As at the end of June 2015, 3,418 people were in detention, 11% higher than the number recorded at the end of June 2014 (3,079). An expected increase in the size of the detention estate due to the opening of The Verne IRC in September 2014 has been partially counteracted by the closure of Haslar IRC in April 2015.

During the year ending June 2015, 31,628 people left detention. Of these, 62% had been in detention for less than 29 days, 18% for between 29 days and two months and 12% for between two and four months. Of the 2,343 (7%) remaining, 187 had been in detention for between one and two years and 29 for two years or longer.

Over a third (36%) of people leaving detention had been detained for seven days or less (11,383). Of these, 5,581 (49%) were removed, 5,524 (49%) were granted temporary admission or release, 88 (1%) were granted leave to enter or remain and 87 (1%) were bailed. Of the 216 detained for 12 months or more, 38% were removed, 38% were bailed and 20% were granted temporary admission or release.

Immigration Detainees in Prisons

As at 29 June 2015 there were 373 detainees held in prison establishments in England and Wales solely under immigration powers as set out in the Immigration Act 1971 or UK Borders Act 2007.

The figures in this brief relate to the number of people entering, leaving or in detention, solely under Immigration Act powers, at immigration removal centres (IRCs), short-term holding facilities (STHFs) and pre-departure accommodation (PDA).

Source:

http://tinyurl.com/qzndpzm

Longest Recorded lengths of Detention @ 31st June 2015

One person has now been detained for over five years

 As at 30 June 2015, National Statistics show that of the 3,418 people currently detained solely under Immigration Act powers in immigration removal centres, short term holding facilities and pre departure accommodation, the 20 longest recorded lengths of detention were:

Asylum Q2 April/May/June 2015

There were 25,771 asylum applications from main applicants in the year ending June 2015, an increase of 10% compared with the previous year (23,515). The number of applications remains low relative to the peak number of applications in 2002 (84,132).

In the year ending June 2015, the largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Eritrea (3,568), followed by Pakistan (2,302) and Syria (2,204). Grant rates for asylum, humanitarian protection, discretionary leave or other grants of stay vary between nationalities. For example, 87% of the initial decisions made for nationals of Syria were grants, compared with 73% for Eritrean nationals and 22% for Pakistani nationals.

Most applications for asylum are made by those already in the country (90% of applications) rather than by people at their time of arriving in the UK at a port. Applicants tend to be young and male.

In the year ending June 2015, the number of initial decisions on asylum applications more than doubled to 28,538.

Of these initial decisions, 41% (11,600) were grants either of asylum or an alternative form of protection, compared with 37% (5,120) in the previous year, and this is the highest number of grants since the year ending December 2003 (11,074). The Home Office has worked to ensure that straightforward asylum applications made before 1 April 2014 received initial decisions by 31 March 2015. This is reflected in the 107% rise in the number of initial decisions.

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service received 13,034 asylum appeals from main applicants in the year ending June 2015, a rise of 96% compared with the previous 12 months (6,637) reflecting the higher number of decisions in this period.

The overall proportion of applications either granted asylum or a form of temporary protection at initial decision or after having an appeal allowed by the courts was estimated to be 43% in 2014, having risen over the past decade from only 26% in 2004.

Estimated figures show the UK had the seventh highest number (33,000) of asylum applications within the EU in the year ending June 2015, including dependants. Germany (259,000), Hungary (93,000) and Sweden (78,000) were the top 3 receiving countries. The mix of nationalities claiming asylum, and the resultant numbers granted protection, varies considerably between EU member states. According to the latest published Eurostat report, in January to March 2015 Germany received 21,000 applications from Kosovans, 14,000 from Syrians, with the next largest numbers of applications coming from Albania (6,000) and Serbia (6,000).

In addition to those asylum seekers who apply in the UK, resettlement schemes are offered. In the year ending June 2015, a total of 809 were resettled in the UK. Of these, 166 (216 since the scheme began) were granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme.

Applications Pending

At the end of June 2015, 21,604 of the applications received since April 2006 from main applicants were pending a decision (initial decision, appeal or further review), 2% more than at the end of June 2014 (21,104). Despite the small overall increase, there was a 5,741 rise in the number of pending further review (from 3,495 to 9,236), but this was balanced by a 6,223 fall in the number pending an initial decision for more than 6 months (from 9,829 to 3,606).

Asylum appeals

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service received 13,034 asylum appeals from main applicants in the year ending June 2015, a 96% rise compared with the year ending June 2014 (6,637) reflecting the higher number of decisions in this period.

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC)

There were 2,168 asylum applications from UASC in the year ending June 2015, an increase of 46% from the previous year (1,488). These applications represented 8% of all main applications for asylum in the year ending June 2015. Despite the recent increase in UASC applications, they remain below the peak of 3,976 in 2008.

There were 1,965 initial decisions for UASC in the year ending June 2015, 154% higher than in the year ending June 2014 (774). Overall, there was a fall in the proportion of decisions that were grants, from 72% of decisions in the year ending June 2014 to 67% in the year ending June 2015.

Support Provided To Asylum Seekers

At the end of June 2015, 30,457 asylum seekers and their dependants were being supported under Section 95, compared with 26,720 at the end of June 2014. This is similar to the figure at the end of March 2015 (30,476) and is considerably below that for the end of 2003 (the start of the published data series), when there were 80,123 asylum seekers in receipt of Section 95.

There were 4,657 failed asylum seekers and their dependants receiving support (under Section 4) at the end of June 2015. Failed asylum seekers (main applicants only) receiving support under Section 4 peaked at the end of September 2009 (12,019).

Source:
http://tinyurl.com/pwq5wg9