§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they still adhere to the aim announced in paragraph 8.9 of the White Paper, Fairer, Faster, Firmer—A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum, that most initial asylum decisions will be made within two months of receipt of applications; and what is the target for April 2000. [HL1630]
§ Lord Williams of MostynIt remains our intention that by April 2001 most initial asylum decisions will be made within two months of the asylum claim. Progress towards the two-month target during 1999–2000 and 2000–01 will depend on a number of factors, including the level of new asylum applications, the rate at which the backlog can be cleared, and the successful completion of the casework programme.