HL Deb 23 June 1998 vol 591 cc14-5WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why there is an apparent shortage of Home Office Presenting Officers (HOPOs); why some arrive for hearings before adjudicators without case files, either because the case files cannot be located or have not been sent to HOPOs; and when they expect to be able to ensure that all the cases listed before adjudicators at the Immigration Appellate Authority, Taylor House, will be heard on the day they are listed. [HL2330]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn)

Recruitment constraints within the Home Office have led to a temporary shortage of Presenting Officers which is now being actively addressed; the Central London Presenting Officer's Unit last month moved into new premises following the Immigration Appellate Authority's own move to Taylor House. This unfortunately led to some administrative problems in the handling of files, which have now largely been overcome; the decision on whether a case will be heard on the day that it is listed is a matter for the adjudicator.