asylum seeker legal aid costs
30 April 2004, 02:24 PM
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asylum seeker legal aid costs
Not sure why I'm doing this, but here's to keep you informed, so you can all argue about the same figures...
£204m was spent on legal aid for immigration and asylum cases in 2003-04, almost 16% up on the previous year, despite a halving in asylum applications recorded last year, said Britain's constitutional affairs minister, David Lammy, in response to a written parliamentary question from the Tory spokesman, Nick Hawkins. In a separate written response, Mr Lammy disclosed that such cases (90% of which concerned asylum) took up 9.2% of the total legal aid bill for England and Wales in 2002-03 - up from 7.4% the previous year.
From http://www.guardian.co.uk/Refugees_i...206658,00.html, where you'll find out about the new EU rules being agreed.
Wonder why the costs are up despite half the applications?
£204m was spent on legal aid for immigration and asylum cases in 2003-04, almost 16% up on the previous year, despite a halving in asylum applications recorded last year, said Britain's constitutional affairs minister, David Lammy, in response to a written parliamentary question from the Tory spokesman, Nick Hawkins. In a separate written response, Mr Lammy disclosed that such cases (90% of which concerned asylum) took up 9.2% of the total legal aid bill for England and Wales in 2002-03 - up from 7.4% the previous year.
From http://www.guardian.co.uk/Refugees_i...206658,00.html, where you'll find out about the new EU rules being agreed.
Wonder why the costs are up despite half the applications?
30 April 2004, 02:51 PM
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£204 million totally bloody wasted - that could have been spent on new life saving machines for hospitals for example. Why the hell should we be paying for these peoples legal bills when there are far more important things to pay for in this country - like the NHS? 
If they want to contest it then they need to make sure they bring enough money with them to pay their legal bills!
If they want to contest it then they need to make sure they bring enough money with them to pay their legal bills!
30 April 2004, 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted by **************
£204 million totally bloody wasted - that could have been spent on new life saving machines for hospitals for example. Why the hell should we be paying for these peoples legal bills when there are far more important things to pay for in this country - like the NHS? If they want to contest it then they need to make sure they bring enough money with them to pay their legal bills!
If they want to contest it then they need to make sure they bring enough money with them to pay their legal bills!
30 April 2004, 04:49 PM
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There'll always be a lag between the reduction in new applications and the expenditure on weeding out those already here.
But yes, it's a stupidly high sum. Then again, how much money is wasted through women choosing to have caesarians? Perhaps half of those carried out don't need to be, meaning around 80,000 such operations, at an average cost of around £5k. Total: £400m.
An incredibly simplistic calculation, I'd agree, but although asylum seekers, immigration, and the costs of this are very emotive, they should be taken in context. There are so many things in the UK which are ridiculous wastes of money, not the least of which is the invasion of Iraq (which, ironically, will lead to even MORE asylum seekers).
I'm not saying that I support £200m+ of legal aid for people who I consider in many cases should not be here, but it's not as if we'd all suddenly be better off if this one particular problem were resolved.
But yes, it's a stupidly high sum. Then again, how much money is wasted through women choosing to have caesarians? Perhaps half of those carried out don't need to be, meaning around 80,000 such operations, at an average cost of around £5k. Total: £400m.
An incredibly simplistic calculation, I'd agree, but although asylum seekers, immigration, and the costs of this are very emotive, they should be taken in context. There are so many things in the UK which are ridiculous wastes of money, not the least of which is the invasion of Iraq (which, ironically, will lead to even MORE asylum seekers).
I'm not saying that I support £200m+ of legal aid for people who I consider in many cases should not be here, but it's not as if we'd all suddenly be better off if this one particular problem were resolved.
30 April 2004, 04:51 PM
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Granby although I don't like having the number of asylum seekers coming into this country that we currently do, I can understand there will be those who are genuine and need help. What really gets my back up is the huge cost to the tax payer who is funding what to me is essentially a waste of money and of no benefit to us. If they were genuine they wouldn't need to go to court to argue their case, if they met the criteria they are let in. To give those who want to argue and go to court just to prolong their stay legal aid is a disgusting waste of money in my opinion.
£204 million is a lot of money when it comes to buying equipemnt for hospitals, buying equipment for schools etc, things that will benefit the tax payer!
£204 million is a lot of money when it comes to buying equipemnt for hospitals, buying equipment for schools etc, things that will benefit the tax payer!
30 April 2004, 05:57 PM
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Its a complete joke - and sure to get worse. Just been listening to the radio and interviews with all these people from Poland etc who are about to join the EU, and from the sound of it theyre all coming straight here "we like England, we like the benefit system" says one
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30 April 2004, 06:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Petem95
Its a complete joke - and sure to get worse. Just been listening to the radio and interviews with all these people from Poland etc who are about to join the EU, and from the sound of it theyre all coming straight here "we like England, we like the benefit system" says one
30 April 2004, 06:07 PM
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In contrast to hysterical claims of “waves” of asylum seekers which this government has encouraged, Britain only takes 0.05% of the world’s refugees. It’s the governments backing of IMF/World Bank policies, US imperialism and repressive regimes around the world which is helping to fuel the massive increase in the world’s population of asylum seekers.
You narrow minded people.
You narrow minded people.
Last edited by gtr_man; 30 April 2004 at 06:12 PM.
30 April 2004, 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by gtr_man
You racist idiots.
30 April 2004, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Petem95
Theres always one isnt there. A fine example of exactly why this issue has become such a problem (and cant be properly debated). Unless youre welcoming asylum seekers with open arms then youre branded racist.
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