The Work of the UK Border Agency

HC 105-I, Second Report of Session 2009-10, Volume 1

Author:: House of Commons - Home Affairs Committee
Publisher:: TSO (The Stationery Office)

The Work of the UK Border Agency - HC 105-I

The Home Office regularly updates the Home Affairs Committee with information on progress in dealing with the backlog of some 400,000 - 450,000 asylum applications. In 'The Work of the UK Border Agency (HC 105-I)' the Committee acknowledges the increased resources that have been made available to clear the substantial backlog of asylum applications but says UKBA's self-imposed deadline of 2011 is simply too long. The Committee says that with the available resources all cases going back three years or more should be finally decided by September 2010 at the latest.

The Committee is particularly concerned about the proportion and number of total applications - over 54% - that have been concluded either by error or for some other reason which the UKBA cannot define (rather than by a grant or refusal of leave). The Committee has previously expressed, and reiterates, its concerns about the role of the Independent Monitor, and notes that the Monitor was empowered to monitor only rejections of visas and not approvals. It has been reported that there are errors in up to 15% of decisions to reject visas (although not all substantive errors); and the Committee says it is therefore possible that a similar number are being issued incorrectly.

In the last few years the immigration service has had to implement eight large immigration acts, including most recently the introduction of the Points Based System, and a further massive Bill is proposed. The Committee considers that the problems faced by UKBA require administrative action rather than further legislation.

Extent	15 pages	ISBN	9780215542465
Size	A4	Price	£6.50
Binding	Paperback	Published	08 Dec 2009
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges