Delays to processing asylum claims in the UK
The briefing looks at how asylum delays have changed over time, the possible reasons for the increase in delays, the effect of this on asylum seekers, and the Government's plans to reduce the backlog.

Religious persecution has been on the rise in the Middle East.
Religious persecution in the Middle East and its effect on the UK (357 KB , PDF)
The takeover of large parts of the Levant by ISIS/Daesh in 2014 saw a surge in religious persecution, with Yazidis being particularly vulnerable. Discrimination and violence against people because of their faith (or lack of it) is nothing new in the region, however, although there is a particularly strong tendency for some cynical politicians to use identity politics to shore up their domestic legitimacy in these troubled times, and religious persecution has always had a strongly political element in the region.
Religious persecution is one of the causes of the present refugee crisis, with a record number of people displaced, according to the UNHCR, leading to asylum applications in the UK. The UK government says that it is fulfilling its obligations to give refuge to those who are victims of religious persecution in the region, and has policies in place to try to prevent the spread of radicalisation and religious intolerance in the UK.
Religious persecution in the Middle East and its effect on the UK (357 KB , PDF)
The briefing looks at how asylum delays have changed over time, the possible reasons for the increase in delays, the effect of this on asylum seekers, and the Government's plans to reduce the backlog.
On 13 March the Government published the Integrated Review Refresh 2023. This briefing examines how the review compares to its predecessor, published in 2021, focusing on the major themes and assessments.
The Illegal Migration Bill 2022-23 was introduced in the Commons on 7 March 2023. Second reading is on 13 March. The Bill seeks to "prevent and deter unlawful migration".