Refugee Council News Review

The latest asylum statistics were published, Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohammed returned to the UK, the EC proposed a new EU wide asylum agency and the Home Secretary was ordered by the High Court to return a deported refugee to the UK.

The latest asylum statistics for the last three months of 2008 show that the removal of those people who have had their asylum claims rejected is down by 16% compared to 2007.

30% of those applying for asylum were granted refugee status or humanitarian protection. 25% of appeals were successful.

In response to the latest figures, Jonathan Ellis from the Refugee Council said: "These figures demonstrate a very worrying trend: poor decision-making leading to people having their claims refused but who can't be sent home. Many are left homeless and destitute, without any welfare support or permission to work to support themselves."

"This enforced destitution must end. The answer, of course, is in better decision-making - still nearly a quarter of appeals are successful, which shows how poor initial decisions still are."

Full Refugee Council press release: Refugee Council response to asylum statistics out today 

BBC News: East European worker influx slows 

Guardian: Number of eastern European migrants falls 40% as UK recession bites