A NEW Home Office facility to speed up asylum decisions was officially opened yesterday by immigration minister Liam Byrne.

The minister unveiled a plaque officially opening Amadeus House, the new purpose-built location for four new asylum decision-making teams covering west London and the South East.

The aim of the teams is to cut down on unnecessary bureaucracy and resolve 90 per cent of asylum claims within six months of the application by 2011.

Some cases have so far taken up to two years to be completed, but the new system will see just one caseworker following a case from beginning to end - without files being send all around the country.

The move is to try and hit tough Home Office targets set out by John Reid.

Mr Byrne said: "The new system ensures genuine refugees have their claims settled quickly, while those whose claims are unsuccessful are swiftly removed, ensuring a system which is firm, fair and meets the needs of the individual.

"It is in nobody's interests that asylum claims should be left unresolved for years, and the Government is taking the necessary steps to ensure that doesn't happen."

Annual asylum applications are at their lowest level since 1993, and the majority of initial decisions are now taken in just eight weeks, say the Government.

Four teams comprising 48 caseworkers are now based at the new office near Heathrow Airport to deal with asylum applications.

Mr Byrne added: "Because the system is now so fast, people don't take the chance with false applications.

"But we want to get faster still."

Last week Amnesty International highlighted the death of an alleged Afghani refugee who they say was killed on his return to the country when his asylum application was rejected.

Mr Byrne said the man had "left voluntarily" but had appealed when his application was turned down.