Asylum seeker applications at 14-year low

Published on Tuesday 26 February 2008 21:25

ONE person was deported every eight minutes from Britain last year, the Home Office has revealed.

Figures also show that asylum applications in Scotland are at their lowest level for 14 years.

The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) said it removed 63,140 people from the UK, including foreign criminals and other immigration offenders as well as failed asylum seekers.

By the end of last year the BIA was beating its target to have 40 per cent of new asylum cases concluded within six months, and the agency is on track to conclude 60 per cent in under six months by the end of 2008.

In Scotland in 2007, 23,430 principal asylum applications were lodged – the lowest number of annual applications since 1993. Principal applications are now a quarter of the level they were at in 2002.

Liam Byrne, the border and immigration minister, said: "Stronger border controls are delivering falls in asylum claims – they're now at the lowest level for 14 years."

But the Scottish Refugee Council last night raised concerns that the "relentless tightening of our borders" was limiting the fundamental right to claim asylum.

Sally Daghlian, the council's chief executive, said: "This isn't something to be proud of."