HL Deb 18 May 2004 vol 661 cc75-6WA
Earl Russell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

On what basis they have calculated the number of cases that they believe the High Court will have to deal with as a result of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill. [HL2715]

The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)

The number of cases expected to be dealt with at the High Court has been calculated using current and anticipated caseload and behaviour including rates of appeal and statutory review applications.

Earl Russell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What additional resources, if any, are to be allocated to the Lord Chief Justice to allow his courts to administer the new tasks proposed in the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill. [HL2716]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

The Government are analysing the resource impact to the system as a whole, including the Administrative Court, and will ensure that the respective areas of the court system are resourced to deal with any additional workload and process changes required to run the new appeals system.

Earl Russell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How the contribution of lay members in the Immigration Appeal Tribunal is to be continued in the future. [HL2718]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Clause 14 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill establishes a single tier tribunal to replace the current two tier system. When the new tribunal is brought into force, Part 2 of Schedule 2 to the Bill provides that adjudicators and legally qualified members of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal (IAT) will transfer automatically to the new tribunal. The Lord Chancellor has informed the House that the new tribunal should comprise legally qualified members only and that Government do not intend to deploy lay members.