Browne: Pleased with progress

The latest Home Office figures show a further fall in the number of new arrivals to the UK, but a decline in the deportation rate of failed asylum seekers.

Home Office statistics for the final quarter of last year, show a two per cent fall in arrivals to 8,465.

With spouses and children included, the fall was of four per cent to 10,020, between October and December 2004.

Monthly arrivals are now 22 per cent lower than at the same point in 2004, and 68 per cent lower than the peak of October 2002.

Immigration minister Des Browne added that Britain was making progress on reducing claims at twice the rate of the rest of Europe and praised a speeding up of decision making.

"This has been achieved through measures such as the closure of Sangatte, rolling out detection technology, posting immigration officers in France and Belgium, ending appeals in the UK for nationals of safe countries, introducing new visa regimes, and bringing in tough legislation to deal with abuse of the system and delays," he said.

Removals fall

The government sought to play down figures showing - for the fifth quarter in succession - a fall in the rate of removals.

Deportations declined by six per cent between October and December, but a Home Office spokesman said this was due to EU expansion last May, which meant that several failed claimants from accession states were now able to stay.

But shadow home secretary David Davis said the prime minister had failed to deliver on his pledge to get a grip on the asylum issue.

"Despite Mr Blair's promises, 250,000 failed asylum seekers remain in Britain and the rate of removals is below the rate of new applications," the Conservative said.

"Only the Conservatives are committed to a quota system to limit the numbers of people that come to Britain.

"At the next election the voters face a clear choice - uncontrolled and unlimited immigration under Mr Blair or controlled and limited immigration with the Conservatives."