New backlog of 16000 migrants uncovered by inspectors - Telegraph.co.uk

Immigration officials also failed to check whether migrants applying to stay with partners in the UK after arriving in the country could support themselves without using public funds, with case workers saying this was rarely used as a reason to refuse applications.

The damning report found a backlog of 14,000 migrants who were challenging decisions to refuse them permission to stay in the UK on the basis of marriage or a civil partnership was "rising at approximately 700 a month".

A further 2,100 cases were found in boxes after work at a unit in Croydon was "shut down in a hurry and dumped in the lap of case workers in Sheffield".

These cases, which all involved applications for further leave, were "piling up" with some migrants who had been in the UK since 2003 still waiting for an initial decision on their case, John Vine, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, said

The situation was "completely unacceptable", he said, as he added he had lost count of the number of backlogs now discovered at the beleaguered UK Border Agency.

Mr Vine compared the latest backlog with the discovery of 150 boxes of unopened mail from asylum applicants, their lawyers and constituency MPs in a room at the agency's Liverpool offices last year.

"It's entirely unacceptable that cases are discovered in this way and go back for so many years," Mr Vine said.

"What's more disturbing from my point of view is that it comes as a surprise (to managers)."

More than half of appeals were allowed, but a lack of resources meant the agency reviewed as few as one in five of these each month.

This led to migrants being allowed to stay when the appeal decision could have been challenged, the inspectors said.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The agency is taking action to deal with historic backlogs and has a transformation plan that will put the agency on a surer footing."

The majority of issues raised by the report have already been resolved and the 14,000 applicants who wanted their cases informally reconsidered should reapply, appeal or leave, he added.

"We are contacting them to make sure they do this, but if they refuse we will enforce their removal."

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons home affairs select committee, called for the "scandalous" limit on the number of checks to be removed.

He added: "These backlogs are a disease that has infected our immigration policy.

"What is more, as the backlog increases each month it is clear that this disease is spreading. The way the agency operates requires urgent surgery of the most profound kind."

Chris Bryant, the shadow immigration minister, added: "It all adds up to delay, confusion and a massive waste of taxpayers' money."

:: Passengers bringing drugs into the UK were let off with fines or other measures instead of being investigated and prosecuted, a separate report on the handling of customs and immigration offences at ports found.

In one case, a passenger found with a small amount of cocaine at Coquelles was referred to investigators at Dover, but was given a fine instead of being considered for prosecution, against the agency's guidance.

Others caught with class B drugs were fined despite having more than the legal limit for such a penalty, inspectors said.

The report also found the agency's policy of swiftly removing those who arrived in the UK with no right to be in the country was being undermined as three in four of those concerned applied for asylum.