Asylum seekers allowed to stay after failed bids

Fewer than half are removed, says study

FEWER THAN half of failed asylum seekers are removed from the UK and abuse of the system is rife, a new study claims.

Tens of thousands of people remained in the country despite their applications having been rejected or withdrawn, according to analysis by a former Home Office chief published today.

David Wood, an ex-director general of immigration enforcement, warned that Britain’s asylum system is “not efficient or very effective”. He said a myth is perpetuated in many countries that “the streets of the UK are paved with gold”.

The UK asylum system attracts in the region of 10,000 to 15,000 applications a year from individuals who ultimately have no valid claim, and under half of these are subsequently removed from the country, according to Mr Wood’s report.

It said: “The truth is that while there are thousands of genuine claims for asylum each year, thousands more are abusive applications.”

The assessment, which comes days after Home Secretary Sajid Javid sparked controversy by questioning whether migrants using small boats to cross the Channel are genuine asylum seekers, warned that abuse of the system risks undermining “wellplaced sympathy” for refugees.

It said: “It is an important principle that people fleeing persecution A LORRY driver has been arrested after 27 suspected migrants were found in the back of his vehicle on the M6.

A part of the motorway near Stoke-on-Trent was closed in both directions after police stopped and searched the lorry on the northbound carriageway at around 5.45pm on Wednesday.

Some of the group fled from the vehicle but were detained by officers before being given a medical assessment and transferred to immigration officials for interview.

The 42-year-old driver, who was arrested at the scene, was arrested on suspicion of facilitating the illegal entry of persons unknown to the UK, Staffordshire Police said.

should be given refuge by countries in a position to offer it.

“But where asylum processes are being used as a way of facilitating economic migration it is essential to be able to quickly and efficiently distinguish between the two, in order to ensure those entitled to help receive it quickly, and to ensure that UK citizens do not lose faith and support for a system that is rife with abuse.”

The paper, published by thinktank Civitas, said a common “method of deception” is “nationality swapping”, whereby an asylum seeker will claim they are from a certain country to boost their chances of success;

Another “area of abuse” is where applicants claim to be under 18 when they are older, while a key difficulty in many removals is the absence of travel documents, which are often lost or destroyed prior to arrival in the UK.

Enforced removals and voluntary departures of failed asylum seekers have fallen from more than 15,000 annually in the mid2000s, to fewer than 5,000 a year recently, according to the paper.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it.

“However, we are clear that those with no right to be in the UK should return home.

“As part of the new asylum accommodation contracts we will be working with a charity to make sure failed asylum seekers are given information on the voluntary returns scheme, encouraging individuals refused asylum to return home.

“We will seek to enforce the return of those who do not leave voluntarily. Since the beginning of 2010 there have been over 345,000 enforced or voluntary returns.”

The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it.

A Home Office spokesman