Home Office accused of building delays into plan to speed asylum claims

Questionnaire system at heart of effort to reduce backlog is fundamentally flawed', say immigration lawyers

Immigration lawyers have accused the Home Office of building delays into a scheme meant to speed up decisions on 12,000 asylum claims.

The plans announced last month to cut the asylum backlog - which now stands at a record 160,000 cases - by sending questionnaires to refugees requires claimants to reply in English within 20 working days or risk refusal.