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27 February 2007
The Prime Minister’s tipping the balance target has been met for the first time over a full year according to figures published by the Home Office today, with more failed asylum seekers removed from the UK than made unfounded claims.
The figures show that in 2006 asylum applications hit their lowest level since 1993, whilst the number of removals and deportations by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate hit an all-time high.
In 2006 a total of 18,235 were removed from the UK including dependants a 16 per cent increase on 2005. Since 1997 the removal of principal applicants has risen by 127 per cent.
Asylum figures for the year show that applications were down by nine per cent compared to 2005 to 23,520.
The quarterly asylum figures released today, covering the period September to December, show that asylum applications including dependants were down four per cent to 6,835, when compared to quarter three. Meanwhile, UK removals were up by seven per cent including dependants to 4,085 when compared to the last quarter.
The UK also performed well when compared to its European partners, who saw applications (including dependants) rise by 14 per cent in the same period.
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:
“This is an important step on the road to Home Office Reform. This is a substantial achievement and shows how far we have come since asylum applications were at their peak in 2002. There are now fewer people than ever coming to the UK and making unfounded claims for asylum, and we are removing more failed asylum seekers than ever before.
“The rise in removals is all the more impressive when considered against the temporary drop in available detention capacity caused by the disturbance at Harmondsworth Removal Centre in November, and our need to remove 2,240 foreign national prisoners since April 2006.
“These challenges meant that there were high and low points throughout the year, so I am particularly pleased that we ended on a high, with more failed asylum seekers being removed during December than were making unfounded claims.
“This does not mean we can rest on this achievement – the Government is committed to reducing false claims even further and removing those people who have no right to be in the UK. That is why we are undertaking to tackle illegal immigration through the introduction of biometric IDs for non-EEA foreign nationals, by doubling the enforcement budget by £100m, and with the introduction of the UK Borders Bill to tackle organised crime and remove incentives for illegal immigrants coming to Britain.”
This record-breaking number of removals is a result of a package of measures brought in by the Immigration Nationality Directorate (IND), including: speeding up the asylum and appeals process, removing the right of appeal in the UK for those in safe countries, strengthening visa regimes and enhancing technology at our borders.
Lord David Triesman, the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Returns, said:
"A properly managed migration system brings great benefit to the UK. But we need to ensure it is not abused. I am therefore pleased that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and its network of overseas posts have been able to contribute to the success of the cross-government work on Tipping. This is the result of close co-operation between the Home Office and the FCO on ensuring that immigration offenders are returned to their countries of origin.
"As the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Returns I will continue to work closely with Liam Byrne and with foreign governments to ensure that we make the best use of established routes and well functioning agreements to return failed asylum seekers and other illegal immigrants to their home countries. At the same time, we will work to open up new routes to countries from which we have experienced large numbers of unfounded asylum claims and immigration offenders, to sustain returns and reinforce public confidence in our immigration system."
Also published today are figures on the number of individuals from the EU accession states registering to work in the UK. The accession monitoring figures show that between October and December 2006 the number of individuals who applied to work under the scheme was 62,945 compared with 51,160 for the same quarter in 2005.
Mr Byrne said:
“The latest Worker Registration Scheme figures continue to show that migrant workers from the accession states are benefiting the UK, by filling skills and labour gaps that cannot be met from the UK-born population. However we need to maintain progress on our immigration reforms and understand the transitional impacts from the accession in 2004 before we take the next step.
"That is why we maintained restrictions on the UK’s labour market and imposed quotas on low skilled work to citizens of Bulgaria and Romania after the two countries joined the European Union in January.”
European Community Association Agreements (ECAA) figures also published today show that robust consideration is being given to the number of Turkish people allowed to enter or remain in the UK to set up their own businesses.
Of a total of 4,700 applications by Turkish nationals between January 2005 and December 2006, 28 per cent were granted, 58 per cent were refused and 13 per cent were withdrawn by the applicants.
The ECAA agreement with Bulgaria and Romania was suspended when the two countries joined the EU on January 1. Of the 7,531 applications considered by Entry Clearance Officers in Bulgaria and Romania between August 2004 and December 2006, 15 per cent were granted, 74 per cent were refused and ten per cent were withdrawn by the applicants.
Notes to Editors
- The Home Office today published:
• Asylum Statistics 4th Quarter 2006;
• Worker Registration Scheme Statistics 4th Quarter 2006; and
• European Community Association Agreements statistics.
- The Quarterly Asylum Statistics, Fourth quarter 2006 are available at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
- The public performance target – tipping point result: 4th Quarter 2006 is available at: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/tippingpointresults
- Accession Monitoring Report September 2004 - December 2006 at http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/accession_monitoring_report
- European Community Association Agreements (ECAA) statistics at http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/eeas
