The 50,000 backlog of visa applications at the UK Border Agency was branded “astonishing” and “incompetent” by MPs today.
The figure refers to applications that have not yet been entered into the agency’s computer system, let alone dealt with, the cross-party home affairs committee was told.
Border agency chief executive Rob Whiteman admitted it will take until March next year for the backlog to be cleared — meaning delays for thousands of applicants.
Labour MP John Spellar, who has campaigned against border delays, said: “This is yet another piece of gross incompetence by the UK Border Agency. We are ringing them to chase up on constituency cases and being told that they can’t find anything on the computer.
“They have now generated yet another backlog in their work. This is an increasingly ridiculous situation and it’s time the management of the agency got a grip.”
Answering questions at the committee, Mr Whiteman was asked if he knew the size of the backlog. He said: “The figure of cases waiting to be put on the system stands at around 50,000 that will be up to date by the beginning of March.”
Committee chairman Keith Vaz said it was “an astonishing answer”. Mr Whiteman said the agency deals with a million applications a year and usually tries to put cases on the database within a week.
A UK Border Agency spokesman said: “We receive up to a million applications a year and while any backlog is unacceptable this represents around three weeks’ worth of work.
“It follows a surge in numbers. We have brought in extra staff to deal with it and expect it to be resolved by March.”
