Asylum seekers need more advice, say adjudicators

FUNDING: as appeals keep rising appellants go unrepresented

The need for lawyers to represent asylum seekers is greater than ever according to the latest Asylum Support Adjudicators (ASA) annual report.

During the past year, the number of appeals received by the ASA has risen eight-fold from 255 in 2001 to 2,141 in 2002, yet most appellants still appear unrepresented.

Sehba Haroon Storey, chief asylum support adjudicator, said: 'It is a major concern that there is no form of legal aid available for representation, especially when appellants can sometimes face serious penalties for crimes such as fraud if they work while claiming benefit.'

She continued: 'Most appellants are turning up to hearings without representation and it is left to the adjudicators to help them.

This is a tricky situation as while we help all we can, we have to try and remain impartial on all matters.'

Jawaid Luqmani, treasurer of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association, said: 'It is important in the interests of the appellate process to have some sort of funding available for legal representation.

To think that an individual who, by definition of his presence at the hearing, doesn't have English as a first language can act for himself is misguided.'

Andrew Towler