§ Simon HughesTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment she has made of the impact of the provision of quality legal advice to asylum seekers prior to an initial decision on their application, the efficiency and quality of those decisions and the number of subsequent appeals; what assessment she has made of the potential costs and savings of ensuring quality legal advice is available prior to initial decisions; and if she will make a statement. [46015]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe Government's White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven" (CM 5387) published in February 2002 states at paragraph 4.36
754WWhile access to legal advice is not a pre-requisite to initial decision-making, and should not hold up the decision-making process, the Government is committed to ensuring access to quality legal advice at that, and all later stages, for all asylum seekers whether or not they are in the Accommodation CentreThe Home Office is currently undertaking a 12-month study entitled "An Evaluation of Access to Early Legal Advice and Representation in the Asylum Determination Process". The aim of the project is to assess the implications of providing early legal advice and representation for the asylum determination process. It will provide systematic and objective information on the implications of providing such advice for the speed, quality and sustainability of asylum decision making. It is hoped a final report will be available internally in November 2002 with a view to publishing as soon as possible thereafter.
It is therefore too early to calculate, with any degree of accuracy, the potential costs and savings that access to early legal advice can bring.