More than 35,000 people have arrived in the UK via the English Channel this year. PA
More than 35,000 people have arrived in the UK via the English Channel this year. PA
More than 35,000 people have arrived in the UK via the English Channel this year. PA
More than 35,000 people have arrived in the UK via the English Channel this year. PA

Asylum claims for English Channel migrants being wrongly rejected, think tank says


Simon Rushton
  • English
  • Arabic

More than two thirds of the migrants arriving in the UK via the English Channel would have successful asylum claims if they were properly processed, a think tank has said.

The UK is instead more focused on removing migrants who have arrived in the country since 2018, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said.

As a result, 43 per cent of claims that have received an initial decision have not been considered properly because the government has sought to remove them to a third country, IPPR research showed.

If applications were properly assessed, almost 70 per cent of applicants would be granted asylum, the think tank report added.

“Our research shows that the overwhelming majority of people coming to the UK on small boats make a claim for asylum,” IPPR associate director Marley Morris said.

“We estimate that most people crossing the Channel would be successful in their asylum claims if they were properly considered.

“More people apply for asylum in France than the UK, but those crossing the Channel are likely to have specific reasons — for instance, they may have family or community ties in the UK.

  • The number of migrants crossing the English Channel from northern Europe has reached record-breaking figures as people in Britain are experiencing an exceptionally hot summer. PA
    The number of migrants crossing the English Channel from northern Europe has reached record-breaking figures as people in Britain are experiencing an exceptionally hot summer. PA
  • A lady carries a toddler to a bus after a group of people thought to be migrants were brought in to Dover, Kent, on the south-east English coast. PA
    A lady carries a toddler to a bus after a group of people thought to be migrants were brought in to Dover, Kent, on the south-east English coast. PA
  • A group of migrants are brought in to Ramsgate, Kent, on August 1 - the day on which almost 700 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in a single day, a record for the year so far. PA
    A group of migrants are brought in to Ramsgate, Kent, on August 1 - the day on which almost 700 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK in a single day, a record for the year so far. PA
  • It was only the second time in 2022 that the daily figure has topped 600. PA
    It was only the second time in 2022 that the daily figure has topped 600. PA
  • A woman carries a newborn baby in a life cradle as she is brought in to Dover on a Border Force vessel in July. PA
    A woman carries a newborn baby in a life cradle as she is brought in to Dover on a Border Force vessel in July. PA
  • About 3,683 migrants made the crossing on 90 boats in July, the highest monthly total this year. PA
    About 3,683 migrants made the crossing on 90 boats in July, the highest monthly total this year. PA
  • A warehouse in Dover for boats used by people trying to cross the Channel. PA
    A warehouse in Dover for boats used by people trying to cross the Channel. PA
  • Migrants hold up an inflatable boat before attempting to cross the Channel to Britain, near the northern French city of Gravelines, in July. AFP
    Migrants hold up an inflatable boat before attempting to cross the Channel to Britain, near the northern French city of Gravelines, in July. AFP
  • A police officer stands guard on the beach at Dungeness, England, as migrants get off a lifeboat after they were picked up at sea in June. AFP
    A police officer stands guard on the beach at Dungeness, England, as migrants get off a lifeboat after they were picked up at sea in June. AFP
  • A group of people thought to be migrants walk up the beach after being brought in to Dungeness in May. AP
    A group of people thought to be migrants walk up the beach after being brought in to Dungeness in May. AP
  • Migrants on the beach at Dungeness, after crossing the English Channel in an inflatable dinghy in January. Reuters
    Migrants on the beach at Dungeness, after crossing the English Channel in an inflatable dinghy in January. Reuters

“The government’s approach to the rise in small boats arriving in the UK has so far rested on deterrence tactics. But these tactics have failed.”

Since 2018, only a small number of migrants have been moved to a safe third country, leaving them in limbo, IPPR research indicated.

More than 35,000 migrants — a record high — have crossed the English Channel this year.

How to deal with them has become a political problem for the ruling Conservative government, which has promised to get tough on immigration.

Increased naval patrols, asking France to step up land operations and the Rwanda deportation policy — a move that so far has not properly got off the ground — are among the measures the government has employed to discourage people from attempting the trip.

People from Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Albania are among those most likely to risk the dangerous journey across the English Channel.

IPPR found three possible reasons behind the increase in people using the Channel sea crossing.

Tighter security at the Channel Tunnel has made appear to have a better chance of success; a reduced number of legal safe routes — a knock-on effect of Brexit and the UK’s withdrawal from its asylum rules; and the snowball effect of seeing people successfully make the voyage.

Six men suspected of being part of a people smuggling network involved in Channel crossings have been arrested in France.

The group, comprising people from Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and France, are accused of storing boats to be used by migrants to make the journey across the Channel to the UK, the National Crime Agency said.

Four boats and motors, as well as 133 life jackets, were seized from a lock-up garage in northern France when the arrests were made between October 18 and 20.

French police said the group visited the garage 20 times between July 29 and October 20 and are said to have taken delivery of the boats.

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Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)

Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick

Hometown: Cologne, Germany

Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)

Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes

Favourite hobby: Football

Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk

The Lowdown

Us

Director: Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss

Rating: 4/5

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

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Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

The%20specs
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Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Scoreline

UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia

UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’

Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’

Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)

The Meg
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Starring:   
Two stars

SPECS
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MATCH INFO

Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)

Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')

SQUADS

UAE
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice-captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan

Nepal
Paras Khadka (captain), Gyanendra Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Pradeep Airee, Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Sundeep Jora, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Basant Regmi, Pawan Sarraf, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh

THE DETAILS

Deadpool 2

Dir: David Leitch

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz

Four stars

Updated: October 25, 2022, 11:01 PM