§ Mr. Jon Owen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 July 2002,Official Report, column 88W, on overstayers, what steps he plans to take to increase the rate of consideration and decision on applications under the Regularisation Scheme for Overstayers to meet his target date of April 2003. [71681]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 22 July 2002]: During the current financial year there has been a significant increase in the number of specialist caseworkers considering the applications under The Regularisation Scheme For Overstayers. The new staff are initially dealing with grants (which are easier to process) until they receive further training in September. It is expected that the output of the established staff will continue to increase with experience, and that the new staff will quickly come up to speed. Processes have been streamlined, best practice shared, and a pragmatic and sympathetic approach is being taken to any compassionate factors encountered. Processes and resources will be kept under constant review, and caseworkers are encouraged to make any suggestions for improvements in working practices that might further speed up decision making.