HC Deb 17 December 2003 vol 415 cc976-7W
Mr. Michael Jabez Foster

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average time taken is for delivery of decisions by an adjudicator in asylum appeals; what the maximum time that may be taken is; and how many decisions have been reserved for more than three months in the past year. [144559]

Mr. Lammy

The average time taken for delivery of asylum appeal decisions by an adjudicator, in asylum cases promulgated between 1 October 2002 and 30 September 2003, was 17 working days. There are no statutory limits for the service set on asylum appeal decisions, other than for those cases heard in accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Appeals (Fast Track Procedure) Rules 2003, where a time limit of one working day applies. Information relating to the number of decisions which have been reserved for more than three months in the past year is not available without incurring disproportionate costs.