Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the backlog in asylum seeker claims.

We are committed to restating order to the asylum system, clearing the backlog to end the use of hotels.

The Home Secretary has removed the retrospective application of the Illegal Migration Act. This allows asylum claims from individuals who have arrived in the UK since 7 March 2023, to be considered against the existing legislative regime under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, rather than waiting in the queue eligible for support.

The Home Office’s programme of transformation and business improvement aims to speed up decision making to reduce the time people spend in the system and reduce the numbers who are awaiting an interview or decision and remain in hotels.

This will enable us to maximise our capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way.