The number of asylum applicants excluding dependents rose to 8,605 between July and September, compared with 7,920 between April and June.

Despite the rise, the number of people arriving is almost a third less than the same period in 2003.

The largest groups seeking refuges were people from Iran, China, Somalia, Zimbabwe and Iraq.

A Home Office spokeswoman said the rise was down to seasonal variations and a 233% surge in applications from Eritreans. New measures to be introduced would be a resumption of returns to Zimbabwe

Fewer initial decisions were taken on the merits of cases during the last three months, but the figure remained higher than the number of new applicants putting in papers.

TOP APPLICANT NATIONALITIES Iran (935) China (620) Somalia (570) Zimbabwe (535) Iraq (475) Source: Home Office, July - Sept 2004 Mayor backs asylum seeker

Only 3% of applicants were granted asylum and given refugee status - the same figure as the previous three months. A further 85 were given a lesser form of "humanitarian protection".

While nine out of 10 cases were rejected at first look, almost a fifth were overturned on appeal, although that figure has dropped slightly.

Removals fall

Removals of failed asylum applicants fell slightly to 3,505 over the period.

The Home Office said this was largely due to the change in status for people from the new European Union countries who could now legally come to work in the UK and were no longer being treated under asylum rules.

We are clearly going in the right direction but we are not complacent and, having significantly reduced unfounded asylum applications we are stepping up action on removals Des Browne, immigration minister

The Home Office said that although the figures had risen, they remained considerably lower than the same period last year and were the second lowest level since 1997.

Immigration Minister Des Browne said there would be "no let up" in the drive to reduce unfounded applications and increase the removal of those whose claims had failed.

"Experience has taught us to expect seasonal highs during the July to September period - there have been similar rises at this time of year for the past three years, but year on year the figures are continuing to fall - they are 6% down on October 2002's peak and we are confident they are not about to start rising again.

"The statistics confirm that the achievements of the past two years are being sustained - four out of five new claims are now decided in two months rather than the 20 months it took in 1997, the number of claims outstanding is at a 10-year low and numbers receiving support continue to fall.

"We are on track to cut asylum support costs by a third by the end of 2005."

Mr Browne said he was focused on meeting the prime minister's target of removing more failed cases than arrive every month by the end of 2005.

He said the Home Office was pressing other countries to speed up this process and accept the return of their nationals.

Removals would shortly increase because of the reopening of Harmondsworth, a removal centre badly damaged in a major disturbance in July.

New laws on deliberately destroying travel documents - something often demanded by people smugglers - had already seen 20 convictons in the month since it had come into force, he said.

Mr Browne said: "Removals have been difficult, not least because of the temporary closure of Harmondsworth removal centre.

"But with this facility coming back on stream - together with the new secure facility at Colnbrook - removal capacity will soon be three times 1997 levels."

School moves for children

The government has also announced that asylum seeker families will no longer be able to avoid being moved to another part of the UK just because a child is settled at a particular school.

A dispersal will now only be blocked if a child is in the final year leading to GCSE, AS or A-Level exams, or their equivalents.

The policy, announced separately in a ministerial statement to Parliament, had apparently been introduced in August but not publicised until now.

In the statement Mr Browne said the government needed to balance disruption to the education of a child with the availability of suitable accommodation in non-dispersal areas".

Concern over rejections

Maeve Sherlock, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, said the level of unfair decisions and rejections was "unacceptable".

"We are concerned about the prospect of anyone being forcibly returned to Mugabe's Zimbabwe and call on the Government to monitor what happens to those who are sent back," she said.

"Far too many valid applications are being turned down resulting in high numbers of successful appeals."

"This is unacceptable. Urgent action is needed by the Home Office to make more decisions right first time."

Sir Andrew Green of Migrationwatch UK, which opposes current levels of immigration, said it was "bad news" for ministers.