Asylum appeals will be sped up - Cooper

A NEW fast-track asylum appeals process will be introduced to speed up the process of removing people with no right to be in the UK, Yvette Cooper has promised, amid protests about the use of hotel accommodation for migrants.

- 

The Home Secretary said "completely unacceptable" delays in the appeals process left failed asylum seekers in the system for years.

There are about 51,000 asylum appeals waiting to be heard, taking on average more than a year to reach a decision.

As measures have been put in place to speed up initial decisions, court delays over appeals are now thought to be the biggest cause of pressure in the asylum accommodation system.