Improving the Speed and Quality of Asylum Decisions

Improving the Speed and Quality of Asylum Decisions PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215021748
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 54

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Book Description
The numbers of people seeking asylum in the UK peaked between 1999 and 2002, before almost halving in 2003. The high levels in applications led to a large backlog of cases awaiting an initial decision and subsequently an increased volume of appeals. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate spent £1.86 billion on its operations in 2002-03, including £1.07 billion in supporting asylum applicants. In the same year, the Immigration Appellate Authority spent £101 million on dealing with appeals from immigration and asylum cases. Following on from a NAO report on this topic (HCP 535, session 2003-04; ISBN 0102928495) published in June 2004, the Committees report examines the progress made in tackling the influx of asylum applications and in improving the timeliness and quality of decision-making. Findings include that the Home Office should balance additional administrative costs involved in increasing staff and infrastructure resourcing to meet surges in demand, against the extra costs arising if backlogs are allowed to accumulate; and fast-tracking procedures should be expanded, with a more demanding joint target set for the Directorate and Appellate Authority for time taken to process cases and reach a decision at appeal stage.

Improving the Speed and Quality of Asylum Decisions

Improving the Speed and Quality of Asylum Decisions PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215021748
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 54

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Book Description
The numbers of people seeking asylum in the UK peaked between 1999 and 2002, before almost halving in 2003. The high levels in applications led to a large backlog of cases awaiting an initial decision and subsequently an increased volume of appeals. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate spent £1.86 billion on its operations in 2002-03, including £1.07 billion in supporting asylum applicants. In the same year, the Immigration Appellate Authority spent £101 million on dealing with appeals from immigration and asylum cases. Following on from a NAO report on this topic (HCP 535, session 2003-04; ISBN 0102928495) published in June 2004, the Committees report examines the progress made in tackling the influx of asylum applications and in improving the timeliness and quality of decision-making. Findings include that the Home Office should balance additional administrative costs involved in increasing staff and infrastructure resourcing to meet surges in demand, against the extra costs arising if backlogs are allowed to accumulate; and fast-tracking procedures should be expanded, with a more demanding joint target set for the Directorate and Appellate Authority for time taken to process cases and reach a decision at appeal stage.

Administrative Justice and Asylum Appeals

Administrative Justice and Asylum Appeals PDF Author: Robert Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1847316247
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 342

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Book Description
FIRST PRIZE WINNER OF THE SLS BIRKS PRIZE FOR OUTSTANDING LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP 2011 How are we to assess and evaluate the quality of the tribunal systems that do the day-to-day work of adjudicating upon the disputes individuals have with government? This book examines how the idea of adjudicative quality works in practice by presenting a detailed case-study of the tribunal system responsible for determining appeals lodged by foreign nationals who claim that they will be at risk of persecution or ill-treatment on return to their country of origin. Over recent years, the asylum appeal process has become a major area of judicial decision-making and the most frequently restructured tribunal system. Asylum adjudication is also one of the most difficult areas of decision-making in the modern legal system. Integrating empirical research with legal analysis, this book provides an in-depth study of the development and operation of this tribunal system and of asylum decision-making. The book examines how this particular appeal process seeks to mediate the tension between the competing values under which it operates. There are chapters examining the organisation of the tribunal system, its procedures, the nature of fact-finding in asylum cases and the operation of onward rights of challenge. An examination as to how the tensions inherent in the idea of administrative justice are manifested in the context of a tribunal system responsible for making potentially life or death decisions, this book fills a gap in the literature and will be of value to those interested in administrative law and asylum adjudication.

Immigration Control

Immigration Control PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Home Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215030078
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 180

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Book Description
This is the report of an inquiry into the policy and practice of immigration control, examining entry clearance (visa) system, the granting or refusing of further leave in the UK and the enforcement of immigration control. It considered the degree to which the aims of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and UK visas are being met; the progress in implementing recommendations from recent reports; and lessons to be learnt from the operation of the current system. Although it is recognised that staff are working hard and diligently there are a number of problems , especially related to fragmentation and lack of communication. The Committee make a number of recommendations including the establishment of a Cabinet Committee and an Independent Immigration Inspectorate; a redrafting of the Immigration Rules and a greater focus on the quality of decision making as opposed to speed.

Administrative Law in Action

Administrative Law in Action PDF Author: Robert Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1509953132
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 331

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Book Description
This book investigates and analyses how administrative law works in practice through a detailed case-study and evaluation of one of the UK's largest and most important administrative agencies, the immigration department. In doing so, the book broadens the conversation of administrative law beyond the courts to include how administrative agencies themselves make, apply, and enforce the law. Blending theoretical and empirical administrative-legal analysis, the book demonstrates why we need to pay closer attention to what government agencies actually do, how they do it, how they are organised, and held to account. Taking a contextual approach, the book provides a detailed analysis of how the immigration department performs its core functions of making policy and law, taking mass casework decisions, and enforcing immigration law. The book considers major recent episodes of immigration administration including the development of the hostile environment policy and the treatment of the Windrush generation. By examining a diverse range of material, the book presents a model of administrative law based upon the organisational competence and capacity of administration and its institutional design. Alongside diagnosing the immigration department's failings, the book advances positive proposals for its reform.

Management of Asylum Applications by the UK Border Agency

Management of Asylum Applications by the UK Border Agency PDF Author: Great Britain. National Audit Office
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780102954524
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 52

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Book Description
The New Asylum Model, introduced by the Home Office in 2006 to achieve faster conclusions to asylum applications, has strengthened aspects of the asylum process. The case ownership approach, in which a single individual manages an application from start to finish, has created a strong incentive to conclude cases and applications are being concluded more quickly, and there are also signs that the quality of decision-making is improving. But the new process is not yet working to its optimum efficiency and effectiveness. The UK Border Agency has done well to improve its handling of the casework. There was a rise in the proportion of cases being dealt with within six months, peaking above the target of 40 per cent in December 2007. The backlog of decisions to be made has however more than doubled in over a year, to 8,700 in the second quarter of 2008. At the point of application, the full screening interview is not taking place in a quarter of cases, so that key information about claims could be being missed. A separate process has been established to clear, by 2011, the backlog of 'legacy cases', unresolved before the introduction of the New Asylum Model, which is put at some 335,000 cases. The Agency has made inroads but the target looks challenging. Few removals of failed applicants are being achieved, hampered by a lack of detention space and problems obtaining emergency travel documents. Throughout the second half of 2007, the gap between unfounded applications and removals increased. The Agency missed its 'tipping point' objective, which is to remove more failed asylum applicants than the number who make new unfounded applications. Unfounded applications exceeded removals by over 20 per cent.

National Asylum Support Service

National Asylum Support Service PDF Author: Great Britain: National Audit Office
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 0102933413
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Book Description
The National Asylum Support Service provides accommodation for asylum seekers who are destitute, or likely to become destitute. There work is demand led and the increase in asylum applications between 2001 and 2003 caused considerable problems. Although the system coped with the pressure, a subsequent ministerial review concluded that the system needed to be improved. This report looks at the Service to see if lessons have been learnt and its approach has been modified to provide a better quality service at a more economical cost.

Textbook on Immigration and Asylum Law

Textbook on Immigration and Asylum Law PDF Author: Gina Clayton
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0198701896
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 667

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Book Description
This volume examines the law and system of control which govern immigration and asylum in the UK. It begins with the historical and legal context, explains who is subject to immigration control, and describes the legal and administrative structure of the system.

PFI: the STEPS Deal

PFI: the STEPS Deal PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215024954
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
This report from the Committee of Public Accounts looks at the PFI deal struck between HM Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue, in April 2001, when it transferred the ownership and management of most of their estates to Mapeley, a private sector consortium. The deal was to provide a reduction in costs, particularly in having the ability to vacate up to 60% of the estates, with residual lease costs being borne by Mapeley. The contract was won by Mapeley because it offered a cheaper bid, based on speculative returns from the increases in commercial property values over a 20-year time period, also it believed it would win other business contracts to increase profits. Once the PFI contract was signed the freehold and long-leasehold properties were transferred to a company based in Bermuda. Because of the implications for capital gains tax and a later request from Mapeley for additional money, The Committee makes a number of recommendations on how the contract could have been better handled by the Department.

The Challenge of Asylum to Legal Systems

The Challenge of Asylum to Legal Systems PDF Author: Prakash Shah
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000158349
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 496

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Book Description
A collection of papers presenting critical perspectives in the development of asylum law with a focus on European and UK developments, incorporating international human rights law and comparative law perspectives. Issues covered range from law-making at the EU level, with a particular focus on extra-territorial processing of refugees claims, asylum procedures, family members of those in need of protection, welfare benefits and impact of national level on the reception of EU norms. Domestic and comparative perspectives offered include discussions on detention, judicial decision-making, appeal rights, claims processing with particular reference to the role of interpreters and developments in Australia which have provided a model of thought worthy of emulation in the UK.

Quality of Decision-making in Public Law

Quality of Decision-making in Public Law PDF Author: Kars Jan Graaf
Publisher: Europa Law Publishing
ISBN: 9789076871851
Category : Administrative acts
Languages : en
Pages : 228

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Book Description
Administrative decisions of government agencies are a fact of present day life and the general public is confronted with them all the time. Therefore, the legal quality of administrative decisions matter to people. It is in the interest of the individual person and the general public that agencies produce legally proper decisions right away. Correctional court procedures are cumbersome and costly, both to the individual objector and to the tax payer. Moreover, public agencies with a reputation of doing things right the first time will generate public trust in government and reinforce the legitimacy of public decision-making. The main theme of this collection of essays is to do things right the first time. The collection draws on the combined research experience of a group of Dutch scholars in public law and public administration. Thus, the topic is examined from a variety of angles and perspectives. Some of the papers deal with basic questions such as: What could be the meaning of the concept of legal quality? How can it be applied when assessing administrative decision-making? Other essays examine conditions for enhancing legal quality, both in public law and in public organizations. Also included are some topical studies that present specific issues in the legal quality of administrative decision-making.