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Rise in asylum applications to UK Failed asylum removals decrease
(about 1 hour later)
The number of people applying for asylum in the UK has risen, according to Home Office figures. The number of failed asylum seekers removed from the UK between July and September fell 26% compared with the previous quarter, figures show.
Statistics for the three months between July and September showed the number of principal asylum applications was 5,850 - up slightly on the previous quarter. The number of people applying for asylum rose slightly, according to the Home Office statistics.
Some 3,295 principal applicants were removed from the country in that period, which was 12% fewer than the same quarter last year. There were 5,850 principal asylum applications from July to September - up slightly on the previous quarter.
The removal figure was 26% lower than in the previous quarter. Nearly 3,300 principal applicants were removed in that period, the lowest quarterly figure for more than a year.
The figure of 3,295 removals was 26% lower than in the previous quarter, and 12% fewer than the same quarter last year.
'Target missed'
While the number of fresh asylum applicants went up, the overall claims figure remains at its lowest since 1993.
BBC Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the recent figures showed the government had failed to achieve its "tipping point" target for that quarter, of removing more failed asylum applicants than the number of new claims anticipated to be unfounded.
But the target was met in the first nine months of the year, he added.
The countries producing the highest number of asylum seekers were Eritrea, Afghanistan and Iran.