§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Attorney-General what is the average time between(a) a request for a hearing date and (b) a hearing date being set for immigration appeals in Leeds.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe average time between a request for a hearing date and a hearing date being set for immigration appeals in Leeds is estimated to be five to six months.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Attorney-General what action is being taken to reduce delays in hearing immigration appeals in Leeds; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Lord Chancellor's Department is actively considering increasing the number of hearing rooms available at Coronet house, Leeds for hearing immigration appeals, and has since 1989 increased the number of staff and adjudicators at Leeds. It is also planned to establish a permanent centre in Scotland for processing Scottish immigration appeals which will reduce the workload and pressure at the Leeds centre, which currently processess Scottish appeals. The Lord Chancellor's Department is also keeping under review facilities and staffing levels at all hearing centres in light of the increasing number of appeals.
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§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Attorney-General what action is being taken to reduce delays in immigration appeal papers, received in London from British overseas posts, being forwarded to the representatives of the parties; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe immigration appellate authorities have recently introduced streamlined procedures for the initial collation and dispatch of appeal papers received at Thanat house from posts overseas, and now aim to dispatch them to the parties representatives in this country within three weeks of their receipt. This is a significant improvement on the previous position of eight to 12 weeks.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Attorney-General when the appeal of Mr. Mohammed Ashraf (TH/13446190) against refusal to grant him entry clearance to the United Kingdom is to be heard in Leeds; when he first applied to enter the United Kingdom; when he was interviewed by the British high commission in Islamabad; when his appeal was received by the post; when his papers were received in London; when papers were sent to Mr. Ashraf's representative; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe immigration appellate authorities (IAA) expect the appeal of Mr. Mohammed Ashraf to be heard in Leeds in September 1991. Mr. Ashraf applied to enter the United Kingdom on 28 November 1988, and was interviewed by the entry clearance officer at Islamabad on 14 December 1989 and 3 May 1990. The entry clearance officer refused Mr. Ashraf's application on 24 May 1990 and on 4 July 1990 the high commission at Islamabad received Mr. Ashraf's appeal. The IAA in London received Mr. Ashraf's appeal papers on 16 August 1990 and after collating them the IAA sent the case papers to Mr. Ashraf's representatives in this country on 13 November 1990. On 1 March 1991 Mr. Ashraf's representatives indicated to the IAA that they are ready to proceed to hearing.
The delay in the listing of this case at Leeds is regrettable and the Lord Chancellor's Department is currently taking steps to increase the hearing room capacity of the Leeds centre in order to reduce delays there.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Attorney-General how many(a) staff and (b) adjudicators are retained in Leeds concerned with immigration appeals; and if he will give figures for the comparable period of the last three years.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe information requested is as follows:
Adjudicators April Staff in post Full-time Part-time 1988 6 1 9 1989 6½ 1 9 1990 6½ 1 13 1991 8 1 13
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Attorney-General how many immigration appeals in Leeds were in the past three years, to date,(a) heard and (b) adjourned at the request of the parties or for other reasons; and what is the average delay between a hearing and determination being issued.
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§ The Attorney-GeneralThe immigration appellate authorities (IAA) do not record details of the number of appeals adjourned.
The number of immigration appeals heard in Leeds in the past three calendar years is as follows:
Number 1988 1926 1989 1,513 1990 1,276 1 The figure for 1988 includes cases heard in Scotland. Adjudicators at Leeds are on average able to prepare their determination within four weeks of the hearing. Thereafter, it takes on average two or three weeks for the determination to be typed and issued to the parties.