Written question asked by James Clappison (Conservative) on Monday, 22 March 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 29 March 1999. It was answered by Mike O'Brien (Labour) on Monday, 29 March 1999 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his estimate of the current total number of persons living in the UK who have no legal right to do so; and, of these, how many (a) have had enforcement action initiated against them but not completed, (b) have not yet had enforcement action initiated against them and (c) have absconded. - Includes figures and fact that there is no estimate of the total numbers of persons living in UK who have no legal rights to do so, or who have no right to be here but against whom enforcement action has not been initiated.

Answer: Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the current total number of persons living in the UK who have no legal right to do so; and, of these, how many (a) have had enforcement action initiated against them but not completed, (b) have not yet had enforcement action initiated against them and (c) have absconded. [78665] Mr. Mike O'Brien: There is no estimate of the total number of persons living in the United Kingdom who have no legal right to do so. There is no figure for the number of persons in the United Kingdom who have no right to be here but against whom enforcement action has not been initiated. As at January 1999, the number of persons against whom enforcement action has been initiated but not completed (including absconders) stood at 67,000. But some of these may still have outstanding legal appeals which means they cannot be removed yet. As at the end of November 1998 the number of known absconders was 31,500. This covers persons subject to port or enforcement action who had breached conditions of temporary admission, temporary release or restriction order, or were otherwise known to be out of contact with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). Some persons recorded as absconders may have departed from the United Kingdom without the knowledge of IND.

Secondary information