Removals and Voluntary Departures Q1/2012
There were 13,386 people (including port removals) who left forcibly or voluntarily during the first quarter of 2012. This was 6% less than the first quarter of 2011 (14,224) and a 26% fall compared with the last peak in the third quarter of 2008 (18,078) - the highest quarterly figure since the publication of data began in the first quarter of 2001.

The 6% fall was mostly accounted for by fewer non-asylum cases refused entry at port and subsequently removed (3,095 in Q1 2012 compared with 3,822 in Q1 2011). Excluding port removals, the number of enforced removals and voluntary departures during the first quarter of 2012 (10,291) was at a similar level of departures recorded during the first quarter of 2011 (10,402).

2,453 of those removed had sought asylum of these 681 were assisted voluntary returns and 151 other voluntary returns

183 asylum claiments of the main total were removed to third countries

1,219 foreign national offenders were removed in Q1/2012

10 top nationality removal destinations
India           2,480
Pakistan                1,234
China           1,061
Nigeria         737
Brazil          619
Bangladesh              519
Sri Lanka               338
Afghanistan     312
Albania         310
Vietnam         259

People Seeking Asylum Q1/2012
There were 4,818 asylum applications during the first quarter of 2012, 1% lower than the first quarter of 2011 (4,844). However, this followed asylum increases for each quarter in 2011 compared with the same quarter in 2010.

Applications received from ports  528

Applications received in-country  4,290

Initial decisions: 1,236 grants of asylum, 20 of HP, 304 of ELR

Outright refusals 2,936, includes 351 certified refusals

Top ten source countries for those seeking asylum
Pakistan                706
Iran            575
Sri Lanka               391
India           234
Bangladesh              250
Nigeria         201
China                170
Syria           156
Sudan           155
Somalia         140