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Refugees in Legal Limbo as UK Cuts Scots Immigration Courts

Categories: Articles:Asylum & Refugees | Published: 21/08/2015 | Views: 1591

Refugees in Scotland face waiting up to a year for their asylum applications to be heard after the UK government slashed the number of cases which can be heard at Scotland's only immigration court.  Immigration lawyers say the number of courts sitting has been reduced from five or six a day to only two following moves by the Ministry of Justice.  (Herald 16/08/2015)



They have warned that asylum seekers who are not permitted to work while their cases are processed could now spend much more time on benefits. Charities that work with refugees fear the reduction will restrict the number of bail hearings and force vulnerable people to spend longer in detention.  The First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber at the Eagle Building in Glasgow is the only regularly sitting body in Scotland which deals with immigration and asylum cases. One leading immigration lawyer, who asked not to be named, said: “The court has been very busy over recent months, though is being forced to reduce from five or six courts a day down to only two a day. This is because of government cuts and is not good for anyone. People will have to wait close to a year for their cases to be heard.      Read more: Peter Swindon, Herald, 16/08/2015
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