Asylum applications dive by 41% in 2003

Applications for asylum fell by 41% in 2003 – four times as much as the average across the rest of the EU, according to the Home Office.

Official figures showed that downward trend was sharpening, with a 52% drop in the last three months of the year compared with the same period in 2002. There was also a record 23% increase in the number of removals last year.

As a result of the significant fall in numbers, applications for state support had fallen by 60% in the last three months of 2003 compared with the same period in 2002, the Home Office said.

Extra measures will make it more difficult to claim asylum here, including: the opening of a new 330 capacity removal centre near Heathrow in August; the return from April of Iraqis who have failed to gain asylum status; extending the use of biometrics in visas or on entry to the UK to countries that refuse to co-operate on returns; and an agreement which could be signed with the Belgian authorities soon to extend the use of UK immigration controls to the Brussels Eurostar Service, to prevent illegal entry to the UK in the first place.

David Blunkett said: "These figures show the very significant progress that has been made in dramatically reducing the number of asylum seekers entering the UK last year as a result of the tough reforms we have put in place."

The government said that it had already met its commitment to halve the number of applications per month from a peak in October 2002 before the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act came into force.

(gmcg)