HL Deb 21 October 2002 vol 639 cc75-6WA
Lord Hoyle

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to open additional Immigration Appellate Authority hearing centres. [HL6060]

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

There are extensive plans to open new hearing centres as part of the Immigration Appellate Authority's (IAA) expansion programme. The IAA has been tasked with increasing its capacity from the current 4,500 asylum appeals per month to 6,000 cases per month from November 2002.

Centres are planned for Newport, Stoke-on-Trent, North Shields, Bradford and Manchester, opening between November 2002 and June 2003. In addition to the new locations, the hearing capacities of existing centres in Birmingham and Hatton Cross are being increased. A new administrative support centre is also opening in Leicester.

The precise timescales for the expansion programme remain subject to planning and lease considerations.