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Sandy Buchan, Chief Executive of Refugee Action, made this statement in response to the publication of the asylum statistics Quarter 1 200

Wednesday May 20th 2009

“The statistics show that there are still very few people granted humanitarian protection - only 20 on initial decisions in this quarter. Refugee Action works with thousands of men and women from war-torn places such as Darfur in Sudan or countries where human rights abuses are rife, such as Zimbabwe. Many are terrified to return, with good reason.

“Instead of being granted temporary humanitarian protection until the situation improves, many of these men and women are being forced into destitution, relying on friends, faith groups and charities. The second destitution tally published last week by the Asylum Support Partnership - of which Refugee Action is a member - revealed that almost half of the people we interviewed had been homeless and in limbo for more than six months.

“We are still concerned about the quality of initial decision-making by Home Office case owners. The statistics show that a quarter of appeals were successful during Quarter 1 of 2009. Since cuts in legal aid have led to fewer solicitors working on asylum appeals, it is more important than ever that case owners get these decisions right the first time.”

The Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary January - March 2009 can be viewed at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/immiq109.pdf

ENDS

For more information contact Julia Ravenscroft, Press Officer for Refugee Action, on 0161 233 1956 or 07771 748 159 or
Juliar@refugee-action.org.uk

NOTES:

Summary of the Home Office Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, January - March 200:

Applications:
- There were 8,380 asylum applications

Initial decisions:
- 29% of initial decisions were to grant asylum.
- 12% of initial decisions were to grant humanitarian protection or discretionary leave. There were 20 grants of humanitarian protection. There were 605 grants of discretionary leave.
- 59% of decisions were refusals.

Appeals:
- 2,410 appeals were received by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.
- 69% of appeals were dismissed. 26% of appeals were allowed.

Removals:
- 2,605 principal applicants were removed or departed voluntarily from the UK
- 770 people left under Assisted Voluntary Return schemes
- 340 people left via other types of voluntary departures

Detention:
- At the end of March 2009, 2,460 people were detained solely under Immigration Act Powers.

- Refugee Action’s powerful 4-minute film about destitution, The Destitution Trap, can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0-3lMOB4io

- Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and support their settlement through community development work. As one of the country’s leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 28 years’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees and advised more than 40,000 asylum seekers and refugees last year.