§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration and nationality cases are currently being held in a work in progress store; and how many of these have been outstanding for more than(a) six months, (b) one year and (c) two years. [71369]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienSince 7 December 1998, outstanding immigration cases have been moved to a central Work in Progress Store, from where they will be allocated to caseworkers. New cases, and older cases which were deemed to require early consideration, are stored in a case allocation unit, awaiting allocation to caseworkers.
There are currently 104,356 cases held in the Work in Progress Store. Of these, 71,987 have been outstanding for more than six months; of these 50,150 have been outstanding for more than one year; and of these, approximately 37,500 have been outstanding for more than two years.
516WThere are currently 12,736 cases held in the Cases Allocation Unit, of which 3,670 were awaiting action as at 4 December 1998.
In addition, there are approximately 92,000 citizenship applications, Of these, approximately 70,000 have been outstanding for more than six months; of these, 46,000 have been outstanding for more than one year; and of these, 3,000 have been outstanding for more than two years.
(Work in Progress is a broad term which may include work to be completed more easily and expeditiously than the more intractable claims.)
§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest date by which immigration and nationality cases currently in a work in progress store are planned to be passed to a case management unit. [71368]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienOur plans for dealing with Immigration and Nationality Directorate casework backlogs are set out in the Government's White Paper "Fairer, Faster and Firmer—A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum". Cases in the Work in Progress Store will be actioned consistent with those commitments.