§ Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his performance against the target of 30,000 deportations a year of failed asylum applicants; and what plans he has to amend that target. [91246]
§ Beverley HughesThe 2002–03 target of 30,000 removals per year was based on the public service agreement (PSA) to enforce the immigration laws more effectively by removing a greater proportion of failed asylum seekers. Latest information on performance against this target will be published in the "Asylum Statistics Q4 2001 United Kingdom" on 28 February.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has always made it clear that, the target for 30,000 removals set for 2002–03 was aspirational and hugely ambitious. In order to reach and exceed 30,000 removals per year, we needed to remove about 2,500 people per month. This target was not attainable.
The PSA in 2003–04 remains the same, ie to enforce the immigration laws more effectively by removing a greater proportion of failed asylum seekers. The proportion is measured by comparing the total number of refused asylum seekers (including dependants) removed from the UK with the total number of refused asylum seekers (including dependants) who have either exhausted all appeal rights or not appealed within 15 working days of the despatch of the refusal decision or meet the criteria for non-suspensive appeals.