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.

Network Rail: Making a Fresh Start

Network Rail: Making a Fresh Start PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215025166
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
The Committee took evidence from the Department for Transport, and the Strategic Rail Authority on the establishment of Network Rail in place of Railtrack and the subsequent review of the rail industry. The report considers the issues raised in the NAO report (HC 532, Session 2003-04) and how they have been addressed by the subsequent White Paper. There are five main conclusions: the Department will need to set strategy more effectively than was done by the SRA; the Department needs to recruit staff capable of dealing with the highest levels of the railway industry; Network Rail should develop long term financial indicators to show it is meeting objectives in a cost effective way; the Department should establish effective oversight of the risks associated with Network Rail's financial liabilities; the Government should justify the extra cost of private finance rather than conventional public funding for Network Rail.

Inheritance Tax

Inheritance Tax PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215025197
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
The number of estates liable to inheritance tax has grown in recent years, reflecting the rising value of assets in property, particularly of houses. Following on from a National Audit Office report (HCP 17, session 2004-05; ISBN 0102931550), the Committee's report focuses on the following issues: strengthening compliance checks and enforcing penalties for non-compliance; improving case processing and making the system easier to use, including simplifying forms; and the operation of the tax exemption scheme for heritage assets. A number of conclusions and recommendations are made, including the need to: improve data collection and analysis to examine the tax gap on undeclared or under-valued assets; consider extending regulations on disclosure obligations to inheritance tax avoidance schemes; and to further reduce the number of long-outstanding cases by setting targets and making full use of powers to secure information required. The report also recommends that the Revenue should consider developing a co-ordinated bereavement website, in co-operation with other departments, containing advice and information on dealing with the death of a relative, including filing inheritance tax and probate returns.

Tackling Congestion by Making Better Use of England's Motorways and Trunk Roads

Tackling Congestion by Making Better Use of England's Motorways and Trunk Roads PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215025135
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 52

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Book Description
Road congestion is estimated to cost industry and commerce £3 billion a year, with around 7% of the motorway and trunk road network suffering heavy congestion at peak times. Although the Government has set a target to stabilise congestion at 2000 levels by 2010, it has acknowledged that this will not be achieved. This report, which follows-on from a report by the NAO (HC 15 2004-05, ISBN 010293150X), looks at how the Highways Agency is tackling the problem. It concludes that the Agency has been too risk averse in testing and using measures adopted abroad and that they have failed to give motorists the information they need to make choices before and during their journeys.

The Impact of the Office of Government Commerce's Initiatives on the Delivery of Major IT-enabled Projects

The Impact of the Office of Government Commerce's Initiatives on the Delivery of Major IT-enabled Projects PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215025098
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 48

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Book Description
Central civil government annually spends £2.3 billion on information technology, some 16% of its total procurement budget. This report examines the progress the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has made in improving departments' capacity to deliver successful IT projects and programmes. In particular it looks at the application of the Gateway Review Process, where there is an independent review of projects at critical points; the use of OGC initiatives by departments; and engagement with suppliers.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215025104
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Book Description
In order to deploy troops in key military operations at short notice, the Ministry of Defence employs a system known as the Urgent Operational Requirements. The purpose of this method is to provide speedy and flexible procurement of capabilities, and it has been a major feature of UK recent military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Following on from an NAO report (HCP 1161, session 2003-04, ISBN 0102930589) published in November 2004, the Committee's report focuses on three main issues: the importance of identifying and costing likely Urgent Operational Requirements; improvements to the way the MoD captures data on the process and outcomes, and the scope to apply lessons from Urgent Operational Requirements to the regular procurement programme.

The United Kingdom's Civil Space Activities

The United Kingdom's Civil Space Activities PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215024886
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 50

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Book Description
This report follows-on from a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (HC 359 2003-4 ISBN 0102927391) which examined the Partnership of Departments, Agencies and Research Councils that manages the UK space programme. It concludes that the Partnership does not apply risk management techniques consistently across their programmes, and in particular the Beagle 2 project had large risks that were not explicitly addressed in the appraisals of funding applications. It also finds that cost control is compromised by internal information systems and that the Partnership neither summarises the benefits across space programmes nor monitor progress against strategic objectives.

London Underground Public Private Partnerships

London Underground Public Private Partnerships PDF Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215023490
Category : Public-private sector cooperation
Languages : en
Pages : 68

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Book Description
In March 2003, the Government signed three 30-year public private partnership (PPP) deals worth an estimated £15.7 billion for the maintenance and renewal of London Underground trains and stations, track and signalling, after a five-year procurement process which cost £455 million. Under the PPPs, London Underground retains responsibility for operations and safety, whilst three private sector infrastructure companies (infracos) maintain and renew the infrastructure. There is a built-in periodic review mechanism, untried in any other PPP arrangement, which enables the parties to respecify requirements and make changes to prices. Ownership of London Underground was transferred to Transport for London in July 2003, which reports to the Mayor of London, although the Department for Transport still retains an interest. Following on from two NAO reports (HCP 644, session 2003-04, ISBN 0102928339 and HCP 645, session 2003-04, ISBN 0102928320) published in June 2004, the Committee's report examines the rationale for the PPPs, the contract price and other costs, and the contract management arrangements.

Reducing Crime

Reducing Crime PDF Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215025074
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
The Home Office aims to reduce crime by supporting Police Basic Command Disorder Units, as well as 354 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and 22 Community Safety Partnerships in Wales. On the basis of evidence from the Home Office, this report examines the effectiveness and administration of these schemes. It finds that the initiatives have contributed to reductions in crime but, because they have not been systematically evaluated, it is not clear how much of a difference they have made. It also concludes that the Partnerships have too great an administrative burden and that the number of Partnerships should be reduced and their funding stream should be simplified.