UK MPs say failures undermining asylum policy

LONDON, March 14 (Reuters) Britain's asylum policy is being undermined by its failure to remove thousands of asylum seekers who have no right to stay in the country, a parliamentary committee said today.

''Failed asylum seekers are in increasing numbers staying in this country knowing there is very little likelihood they will be apprehended or removed,'' said Edward Leigh, chairman of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.

In a damning report, the committee said at current levels it would take between 10 and 18 years to remove the existing backlog of failed asylum seekers from Britain.

It blamed the ''extremely serious'' situation on failures at the Home Office's Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

''The directorate does not know how many failed asylum applicants remain in the country or where the majority are located, including over 400 criminals released from prison into the community,'' the committee said.

On the directorate's own estimates, the backlog of removals lies somewhere between 155,000 and 283,500 individuals.

The figures were so imprecise because immigration officials ''had not kept track of, or collected sufficient data on, those who had changed address or left the country without informing the directorate,'' the committee said.

''What we can be confident about is that the directorate is not removing failed asylum seekers anywhere near fast enough and the backlog of cases is growing,'' said Leigh.

''INTEGRITY AT STAKE'' The backlog was likely to remain as the directorate has no target to reduce the number of outstanding removals, a position that should be changed without delay, said Leigh.

''Unless the directorate vigorously addresses itself to improving its poor performance, it will take many years to remove the backlog of failed asylum seekers.

''The integrity of the UK's asylum application process is at stake,'' Leigh said.

Conservative immigration spokesman Damian Green said the report was shocking and called the gaps in data ''disgraceful''.

''This chronic lack of basic information is undermining any attempts to establish a civilised and credible asylum policy.'' The Refugee Council said it was surprised the committee was calling for a crackdown on failed asylum seekers.

''Thousands of people would be only to happy to contribute to the UK economy if they were given some recognition and allowed to work while they are here,'' said Maeve Sherlock, the asylum charity's chief executive.

Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said work was in hand to tackle all the committee's concerns.

''We are introducing a new approach to asylum that means the process will be faster and more tightly managed,'' he said.

Reuters SK VP0517