The report from the Commons home affairs committee said they are concerned over the 'chaotic' registration of asylum seekers by the UKBA and said it was clearly under-performing.
Ministers also warned that the 2011 target for clearing a backlog of cases from asylum applications must be accelerated, and is particularly concerned about the huge proportion and number of total applications - over 54 per cent - that have been concluded either by error or for some other reason which the UKBA can't define - rather than by a grant or refusal of leave.
But the border and immigration minister Phil Woolas has responded to the report saying the UKBA has made considerable improvements and bonuses were only paid for outstanding work.
Mr Woolas said: 'The truth is that our border has never been stronger, as illustrated by the fall in asylum applications, the record numbers we are stopping at Calais, and the watch-list checks that are undertaken before people even step on a plane.
'The UK Border Agency is continuing to make progress in dealing with the legacy backlog of older asylum cases, and has already concluded more than 220,000 cases. We are now looking at whether we can clear the backlog earlier than summer 2011.
'With the creation of the UK Border Agency we assembled a management team from across Whitehall and beyond who are leading dynamic changes across the business. I believe that it is right to reward staff for outstanding work, and bonuses are only ever awarded to those who have performed to a high standard.'
It was reported in October that 40,000 asylum cases may effectively be abandoned and applicants allowed to remain in the UK because it was too difficult to return them to their home countries.
Chairman of the home affairs committee Keith Vaz said: 'There is still a huge backlog of unresolved cases and UKBA simply must get through them faster than they have promised.
'What is really surprising and disappointing is the number of cases where the UKBA is basically saying 'we don't know' exactly what has happened to these applicants – over half the applications are concluded for some 'other' reason than being granted or denied leave: too many of these are errors, and for the vast majority it appears UKBA just can't tell us what's happened.
'And it is astonishing that the latest efforts to get their house in order threw up another 40,000 files that had been effectively abandoned incomplete – yet, in 2007/8 29 employees received £295,000 in bonuses. No one can forget the previous home secretary describing UKBA to my predecessor committee as 'not fit for purpose'. We know the agency has had a lot to contend with, but it is apparent that UKBA still has a long way to go before it is operating as it should.'
Mr Woolas said: 'The truth is that our border has never been stronger, as illustrated by the fall in asylum applications, the record numbers we are stopping at Calais, and the watch-list checks that are undertaken before people even step on a plane.
'The UK Border Agency is continuing to make progress in dealing with the legacy backlog of older asylum cases, and has already concluded more than 220,000 cases. We are now looking at whether we can clear the backlog earlier than summer 2011.
'With the creation of the UK Border Agency we assembled a management team from across Whitehall and beyond who are leading dynamic changes across the business. I believe that it is right to reward staff for outstanding work, and bonuses are only ever awarded to those who have performed to a high standard.'
It was reported in October that 40,000 asylum cases may effectively be abandoned and applicants allowed to remain in the UK because it was too difficult to return them to their home countries.
Chairman of the home affairs committee Keith Vaz said: 'There is still a huge backlog of unresolved cases and UKBA simply must get through them faster than they have promised.
'What is really surprising and disappointing is the number of cases where the UKBA is basically saying 'we don't know' exactly what has happened to these applicants – over half the applications are concluded for some 'other' reason than being granted or denied leave: too many of these are errors, and for the vast majority it appears UKBA just can't tell us what's happened.
'And it is astonishing that the latest efforts to get their house in order threw up another 40,000 files that had been effectively abandoned incomplete – yet, in 2007/8 29 employees received £295,000 in bonuses. No one can forget the previous home secretary describing UKBA to my predecessor committee as 'not fit for purpose'. We know the agency has had a lot to contend with, but it is apparent that UKBA still has a long way to go before it is operating as it should.'
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