§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum appeals, having been received by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, are awaiting transmission to the Immigration Appellate Authority; and what the equivalent figure was on(a) 1 January 2000 and (b) 1 January 2001. [3305]
§ Angela EagleProvisional data indicate that on 30 May 2001 there were approximately 33,000 appeals lodged with Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) which had not been sent to the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA). The comparable figures on 1 January 2000 and 1 January 2001 were less than 1,000 and approximately 15,000 respectively. Over the same period there was a 296 per cent. increase in decision making, from 33,720 initial decisions in 1999 to 133,695 in 2000–01.
For every appeal lodged, IND has to review the grounds advanced and may as a consequence need to reconsider all the circumstances of the case. Appeals are not forwarded to the IAA until this consideration has been completed and appeal papers have been prepared.