By Rebecca Lefort 8:45AM BST 17 Apr 2011
A total of £11 million was spent on failed immigration and asylum cases, new figures show.
Figures from the Legal Services Commission show another £6.3 million was spent on cases where the outcome was never known, and more than 1,000 cases were taken to judicial review, costing around £3 million.
Each year £85 million is spent on legal fees for immigrants and asylum seekers trying to stay in the country.
Many of the areas of taxpayers' money being spent will cause concern over whether it is being correctly spent.
The figures show taxpayers spent £4.9 million on application or appeals to bring family members to the UK and £1.1 million on taking legal cases to allow family members to visit after they had been refused permission for a visitors visa to the UK.
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£1.1 million was spent helping foreigners gain British citizenship and £1 million on helping students wanting to study in the UK - one of the areas which the Government has identified as being subject to abuse by foreigners.
Last night Alp Mehmet, the vice-chairman of Migration Watch, said: "This is another example of the tax payer footing the bill in an unreasonable way. It is not too much to expect people who appeal in these circumstances to pay for it themselves."
The disclosure of the true cost of immigration and asylum legal aid cases comes after a senior judge described the immigration appeals system as an expensive "merry go round" last week.
Lord Justice Pitchford was ruling on the decade-long legal battle of a 28-year-old Zimbabwean asylum seeker, a case which has cost the state more than £100,000 in lawyers' fees.
He said he was frustrated that her future was still "up in the air", despite dozens of court appearances, and added: "I shake my head in despair if not in disbelief at this extraordinary process which occupies so much court time."
The Government said it hopes to reduce the cost of funding immigration and asylum cases, and has promised in the future only claims challenging detention and proceedings before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission will be supported.
People applying for leave to remain, entry clearance, and citizenship and travel documentation will no longer be eligible for support. Ministers expect the changes to save £18 million each year, still leaving a bill of £66 million.
The changes have been opposed by some groups, including the Immigration Advisory Service, which gives immigrants and asylum seekers free legal advice.
The not-for-profit organisation, which has an office in Bangladesh, received £14.6 million in fees alone in 2009/10.
Another legal charity, Refugee and Migrant Justice, received £13.7 million in taxpayer funded fees in the same period, but went into administration last year.
Bron: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/8455704/Lawyers-paid-11-million-for-immigration-cases.html
Om hoeveel geld zou het in Nederland gaan? En waarom is het hier een taboe om over dit soort zaken te spreken? Aangezien iedere zaak toch minstens 1000 euro kost en bijvoorbeeld de helft van de asielverzoeken wordt afgewezen en een ieder bijna doorporcedeerd is dat al makkelijk te berekenen. Maar dan de reguliere immigratie, de vreemdelingenbewaring, de subsidies voor Vluchtelingenwerk, STuv en derdelijke. Ik ben echt benieuwd.
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