Immigration firms to join pilot duty solicitor scheme

ASYLUM: project to fast-track applications starts next month

Top London immigration firms have been approached to join a duty solicitor scheme for a new government project that will fast-track asylum applications, it emerged this week.

The initiative will be piloted next month at Harmondsworth Removal Centre, near Heathrow airport, and will detain up to 90 asylum seekers with straightforward claims at any one time.

The Home Office hopes that unfounded claimants will be removed from the country within a month.

A Legal Services Commission (LSC) spokesman confirmed: 'The LSC has been asked to set up a duty solicitor scheme at Harmondsworth to ensure that asylum seekers subject to the fast-track pilot process have access to legal advice.

The best-performing immigration firms across London have been invited to take part.'

The spokesman said it had received 29 applications to join, but only experienced practitioners would be accepted.

All applicants will be informed of the LSC's decision by the end of the week.

'Those firms selected will be asked to sign a new contract and will be able to claim enhanced rates in certain circumstances as well as a standby payment whenever they are required to be on duty,' he added.

'A rota will be set up so that firms know when they may be called to attend at Harmondsworth.'

The move comes after the House of Lords last month upheld the right of the Home Office to detain applicants to make speedier decisions.

New rules sanctioning the pilot went before Parliament last week.

Lord Chancellor's Department minister Baroness Scotland said: 'The rules will ensure that the appeals process gives all applicants a fair hearing but does not get used as a delaying tactic to the removal process by people with unsuccessful claims.'

Paula Rohan