Dear Mr Pereira

Thank you for your e-mail dated 26^th November 2009 in which you ask for the following information:

1. How many applications are being processed on a day to day basis

2. How many applications do you'll have a back log for.

3. You have stated on your website that your backlog will be

cleared by the end of December 09 and i would like to know by what

possible means you state this?

4. Why are you in breach of Directive 2004/38/EC and taking more

than 6 months to process applications?

5. Why have my numerous letters of complains not been acknowledged

by the home office complaints centre?

6. What is your complains procedure and what are you service

levels/time to respond?

Your request has been handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 as a request for information.

With regards to Question 1 in the period 9^th November 2009 -6^th December 2009, an average of 352 decisions per day were completed across all EEA case types

With regards to Question 2 as of 8^th December 2009 39,859 applications remained in the EEA case backlog.

In relation to question 3 I can confirm that the Agency is taking measures to ensure that all cases will be within service level agreements by March 2009. These include:

With regards to question 4 the department has temporally been outside of service standards due to the sheer volume of applicants. UKBA has seen exceptional levels of applications in the last 24 months and has put measures in place to meet this new level of demand as outlined in my answer to question 3.

In relation to question 5 our records do not detail any unanswered letters of complaint. We have a documented history of various interactions with you primarily via telephone calls you have made to the contact centre. There are no listed letters of complaint contained with that history. All queries such as the letter from Virendra Sharma MP received a response within agreed service standards.

For question 6 information regarding operational complaints and details regarding our Customer Charter can be accessed via the Home Office website (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/contact/makingacomplaint). In regard to the service levels for complaints, If we cannot deal with your complaint immediately, we will let you know who is dealing with it. We aim to give a full response within 20 working days. If your complaint alleges serious professional misconduct by our staff or people working for us, it may take up to 12 weeks to carry out a detailed, independent investigation

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may request an independent internal review of our handling of your request. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the UK Border Agency sending a substantive reply to your original request and should be addressed to:

Information Access Policy Team

(Freedom of Information Team)
UK Border Agency
11th Floor - Short Corridor
Lunar House,

40 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 2BY

During the independent review the department's handling of your information request will be reassessed by staff who were not involved in providing you with this response. Should you remain dissatisfied after this internal review, you will have a right of complaint to the Information Commissioner as established by section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act.

I realise that this reply may be a disappointment to you, but I look forward to hearing from you again shortly should you wish to refine your request.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Team

UKBA