§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the performance of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in meeting its objectives in its Business Plan for 2000–01 in respect of the processing of asylum support claims. [3298]
§ Angela EagleFor 2000–01, the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) had two main targets:
- (i) to support single adults within a unit cost of £150 per week and families within a unit cost of £220 per week; and
- (ii) to process 70 per cent. of support applications within two days of receipt and 100 per cent. within seven days of receipt.
NASS met the first of these targets in respect of the unit cost for single adults but not in respect of that for families. NASS did not meet its second target. This was due to a combination of factors but in particular due to the failure to predict the number of changes of circumstances 643W leading to changes in the type of support requested and a higher than planned for failure to comply with the arrangements to travel to dispersal accommodation. This led to the completion of processing of applications taking longer than expected.