More on the subject of Asylum;

In 2007 there were 23,000 applications for asylum, continuing a declining rate since the peak of 84,000 applications in 2002

In 2006 a new process was developed to deal with all new applications in a much quicker and efficient way (6 months from application to decision). A separate process was created to clear, by 2011 a backlog of 400k-450k applications.

The source for this is in the NAO report of earlier this year. Executive summary HERE

It gives a warts and all view of the asylum process and how removals are proving the biggest problem.

However against a backdrop of falling numbers of applicants and a lot of good, concerted effort to deal with removals it seems at this rate even Keith will be able to sleep safely at night; because the whole thing just isn't as scary as many seem to believe.