Immigration and Nationality Directorate

HC Deb 26 February 2004 vol 418 cc522-3W

Mr. Love

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on recent staff turnover at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, with particular reference to caseworkers dealing with asylum applications; [153700]

(2) what measures his Department is taking to minimise disruption to asylum applications resulting from turnover of Immigration and Nationality Directorate caseworkers. [153702]

Beverley Hughes

Staffing levels in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are continually monitored so that staff turnover can be anticipated and planned for to minimise disruption.

The Asylum Casework Directorate utilises business planning forecast models to anticipate and plan for staff turnover. Staff turnover has, as a result, been carefully managed to minimise disruption to the processing of asylum applications. About 80 per cent. of new applications are currently decided within two months (against a target of 75 per cent.).