Spending on asylum soars as Labour say system ‘utterly damaged’

The quantity of taxpayer money spent on the UK’s asylum system has quadrupled over the previous decade to hit £2.1bn, Home Office statistics present.

The determine represents a fourfold improve since 2010, when prices stood at £567m.

The Labour Party, which obtained the figures, attributed the bounce from £1.4bn in 2020/21 to £2.1bn in 2021/22 to slower asylum choices, the rising backlog and the house secretary’s “last minute decision-making” over using lodges.

The Labour Party stated the asylum system was “completely broken and British taxpayers are paying the price”.

Shadow house secretary Yvette Cooper stated: “After 13 years, the Tories have damaged the asylum system and these figures show it.

“Nothing the government is doing is working, and their legislation is making the situation worse, with more people stuck in the system than ever before.

“Labour has set out severe plans for a cross-border police unit, fast-tracking to clear the backlog and a correct take care of Europe on secure returns.”

A Conservative spokesman responded: “Labour’s approach to asylum was a disastrous open-door policy coupled with massive amnesties.

“Given the prospect they’d do it over again. Labour are in opposition to deporting overseas criminals. Labour are in opposition to deporting unlawful migrants. Labour are in opposition to stopping the boats.

“Only the Conservatives have a plan to tackle illegal migration as we deliver on our five priorities: halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt, cutting waiting lists and stopping the boats.”

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The information comes after the UN’s refugee company recognized important failings within the UK’s asylum system, together with the detention of torture victims and legal guidelines not being “complied with”.

In a scathing report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees famous “numerous risks to the welfare of asylum seekers” after its investigation between 2021 and 2022.

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However, the Home Office stated “significant improvements” have been made because the audit came about.

Separate Home Office figures launched on the identical day additionally confirmed the backlog of asylum instances within the UK hit a brand new file excessive.

A complete of 172,758 individuals waited for an preliminary choice on an asylum utility on the finish of March 2023 – up 57% in contrast with the identical interval final yr.

Labour additionally claims that over the previous yr, just one% of small boat asylum instances have had a choice made and that the productiveness fee of Home Office staff had fallen from 14 choices per 30 days in 2011 and 18 in 2016, to simply 5 per 30 days within the final monetary yr.

On Thursday Mr Sunak will head to Moldova for the European Political Community summit the place he’ll warn {that a} rise in unlawful migration and Vladimir Putin’s struggle in Ukraine have created “unprecedented threats” at Europe’s borders.

Mr Sunak is hoping to construct on migration agreements secured with France and Albania and can start negotiations for a returns settlement with Moldova.

He will even announce a brand new partnership with Bulgaria to assist it destroy the enterprise mannequin of organised prison gangs who’re facilitating unlawful migration.