The reduction in claims is welcome but the UK was the largest recipient of asylum seekers in the Western world in 2003. [1] This will continue for as long as we fail to remove those whose claims are rejected.
A recent House of Commons report confirmed that only one in five failed asylum seekers was removed in 2002. [2] This trend has continued in 2003 [3] . They described this rate as unacceptably low. We agree.
There are now well over a quarter of a million people who have failed asylum in the last seven years but for whom there is no evidence of departure, and as such are here illegally. The last quarter of 2003 has seen a 12% reduction in the number of asylum applicants removed compared with Q3.
Commenting, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of MigrationwatchUK, said, ‘The asylum system continues to be used as a back door to Britain at the tax payers’ expense. The government must stop tinkering with a failed system and reform it radically.’
Notes
| [1] | Source UNHCR Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialised Countries – 2003 issued 24/02/04 |
| [2] | House of Commons Home Affairs Committee: Second Report of Session 2003-4 paragraph 229 |
| [3] | In 2003 there have been 65,655 appeals dismissed and a further 8,015 applicants who did not appeal against their initial rejection – a total of over 73,000 principal applicants who would becoming liable for removal. But only 12,490 principal applicants were removed |