and categorisation of statelessness in the Labour Force Survey108 and for the International Passenger Survey.109 In combination, these difficulties lead to misleading and inconsistent results which create an inaccurate impression of the numbers of stateless persons in the UK, meaning it is not possible to rely upon the published Eurostat figures for an accurate analysis. 3.5.3 Indirect data sets A number of requests for data were submitted to the UK Border Agency under a data sharing agreement. The purpose of the request was to try to provide indirect data on stateless and “unreturnable” persons. These requests included the numbers of persons who were refused re-entry to their country of destination when being removed from the UK; the numbers of certain profiles of refused asylum-seekers receiving support under the Immigration Act 1999, section 4; the numbers of requests for emergency travel documents and delays in issuing such documents; the final outcome in respect of asylum applications disaggregated by relevant characteristics; and details on the numbers and profiles of unresolved asylum applications. These questions were intended to identify groups that were more likely to include stateless or “unreturnable” persons. It was hoped that an analysis of the data would form the basis for a conclusion on the total possible numbers of stateless and “unreturnable” persons in the UK. After the analysis was complete, however, it became clear that it was not possible to draw such conclusions from this data because it was impossible to identify with any accuracy those who were stateless or “unreturnable”. That said, some of the information that came to light has informed the analysis of other areas of the research. 108 Until 2006, the Labour Force Survey used “stateless” as a variable in the nationality section of the survey. However, following an information request into how the term ‘stateless’ was applied in the Labour Force Survey, no relevant guidance could be found (Reply to information request by the research team to the LFS Production Manager, Office of National Statistics, November 2010: on file with the authors). Additionally, the Labour Force Survey stateless variable has since been removed from the survey after it was reportedly “amalgamated” into other nationality groups due to additional countries being added as new variables. This suggests that the stateless category was being used predominantly where nationality was unknown or where no correct nationality category existed. 109 Three problems were identified by the researchers: 1) For the purposes of the IPS, stateless persons are identified on production of either i) a “Certificate of Identity” or ii) a Stateless Person’s Travel Document issued under 1954 Convention or iii) a Refugee Convention Travel Document issued under the 1951 Convention. The data in respect of each of these constituent groups are not disaggregated. 2) The survey takes into account individual journeys and consequently risks multiple counting. 3) Respondents are not asked to show proof of their nationality or identity and are therefore expected to self-identify as stateless. If the interviewee is uncertain of their nationality he or she may be prompted to refer to travel documentation but the respondent can choose to refuse to provide it. in the United Kingdom 57