UK reports drop in asylum seekers

LONDON – The number of people applying for asylum in Britain fell again in the second quarter of this year and has now dropped 76 percent since its peak in October 2002, the government said yesterday.

The Home Office said 6 220 people, plus dependents, applied for asylum from April to June, down 11 per cent from the previous quarter and 21 per cent from the same period a year ago. Applications are down 20 per cent since May 1997, when Labour came to power, it said.”The figures published today show we are continuing to cut the number of asylum applications, now down by more than three quarters, an enormous 76 per cent since their peak in October 2002,” Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said.The government said the fall was due to a speeding up of the asylum and appeals process, the removal of the right of appeal in Britain for applicants from safe countries and the strengthening of visa regimes.However, McNulty acknowledged that more needed to be done.Although the removal of failed asylum seekers rose by three percent from the first quarter of the year, it fell two percent from the same period a year ago.- Nampa-ReutersApplications are down 20 per cent since May 1997, when Labour came to power, it said.”The figures published today show we are continuing to cut the number of asylum applications, now down by more than three quarters, an enormous 76 per cent since their peak in October 2002,” Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said.The government said the fall was due to a speeding up of the asylum and appeals process, the removal of the right of appeal in Britain for applicants from safe countries and the strengthening of visa regimes.However, McNulty acknowledged that more needed to be done.Although the removal of failed asylum seekers rose by three percent from the first quarter of the year, it fell two percent from the same period a year ago.- Nampa-Reuters