Latest news with #RobertBates
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Billionaire heiress Francesca Packer has been spotted looking low-key in Sydney
Billionaire heiress Francesca Packer has been spotted wearing the unofficial Millennial uniform and proving she's just like us – only way richer. The 30-year-old was seen in a baggy jumper, black leggings, and slides, pottering around Sydney's affluent suburb Potts Point with wellness entrepreneur Robert Bates. The couple were holding hands but keeping things low-key. Mr Bates was wearing a green jumper, beige pants, and matching green sneakers. They've been linked since 2022, and he was also at her glam 30th birthday bash in Coogee. While there have been rumours they've been on and off, they're clearly still going strong. Nothing screams 'comfortable long-term relationship' quite like strolling around together in active wear. Ms Packer, 30, is Kerry Packer's eldest grandchild, the daughter of Gretel Packer and British financier Nick Barham. Despite her incredibly famous family and all the media attention the heiress gets, she's relatively private. Sure, she's often spotted on a yacht or seen prancing around wearing a designer outfit, but she's also remained pretty low-key. Yes, there's the occasional photo of her cuddling PR maven Roxy Jacenko, but she hasn't even updated her Instagram, where has over 200,000 followers, in years. The 30-year-old has had quite the busy year. She sold her five-bedroom apartment in Darlinghurst for a rumoured $28 million after revising the guide from $35 million to $32 million. It is still a big profit, as the heiress snapped up the whole-floor apartment on level 40 for $15.8 million in 2019, almost doubling her money in less than six years. Ms Packer rarely speaks to the press, though several years ago, she did open up to Vogue about the pressures of living up to her famous last name. She previously studied psychology at the University of Sydney and then later took a design course in London, but hasn't quite followed her in famous family's footsteps. 'I'm never going to fit them, because they're not my shoes,' she told Vogue. 'I'll find different shoes. It's not about being better than the last generation in any way or being better than anyone else on the planet. 'It's about being the best you that you can be. And I think my mum really emphasised that, and she kept us almost secure and safe and away from that pressure.'
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Billionaire heiress Francesca Packer cuts a casual figure as she strolls hand-in-hand with rarely seen boyfriend Robert Bates in Sydney
Billionaire heiress Francesca Packer has been spotted on a rare outing with her boyfriend Robert Bates. Francesca, who is the granddaughter of the late Kerry Packer and daughter of Gretel Packer and English financier Nick Barham, lives a notoriously private life, however she broke cover on Saturday as she and her partner of two and a half years stepped out in Sydney. The couple cut casual figures as they enjoyed a stroll hand-in-hand around Potts Point in the Eastern Suburbs. The 30-year-old heiress ditched her usual dressy attire for a white RVCA x Benjamin Jean Jean hoodie, which she paired with black leggings as she took to the streets. She finished off the laidback fit with a pair of black slides, as well as large sunglasses in an attempt to go incognito. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Francesca, who is usually adorned with enough jewels and bling to make eyes water, presented a pared back look with not so much as a necklace in sight, but did add a pop of colour to her ensemble with maroon red nails. Her boyfriend, who formerly made the Australian Financial Review's Young Rich List with an estimated net worth of $145 million, wore a knitted crew neck jumper in an olive green hue. He layered the sweater over an easy white tee and linen, drawstring pants, matching his jumper with a pair of green suede sneakers by Dolce and Gabbana. The business owner wore his locks in his signature windswept do as he walked alongside his billionaire girlfriend while seemingly glued to his phone. Francesca and Robert began dating in 2022 and confirmed their romance in December of that year after they were spotted kissing on the deck of a luxury yacht in Sydney Harbour. The pair are said to have been introduced by PR maven and Sydney socialite Roxy Jacenko, who was Francesca' publicist for a stint. She reportedly 'fell head over heels' for the divorced father and even 'confided to friends her desire to start a family' with him.' Robert is the CEO of failed wellness brands Aurum+ and Aquamamma and the founder of 7 Trinity Biotech. In December, no expense was spared for Francesca's birthday party as she rang in her 30th year. The billionaire heiress hosted a dress up shindig at upmarket eatery Mimi's in Coogee with an A-list guest list. Among the celebrities joining the event was influencer Indy Clinton, who came dressed as Pamela Anderson in her Baywatch days, donning a blonde wig and red swimsuit. Former host of The Project Lisa Wilkinson was also among the glitterati but skipped the fancy dress memo and opted for a chic, loose black suit. Norwegian singer Adelén was in tow, opting to dress up as Julia Roberts in the classic romantic comedy Pretty Woman. Francesca, who was dressed in a Wednesday Adams costume, held court with her boyfriend Robert. Also coming along to celebrate the occasion was her grandmother, Roslyn, and her mother, Gretel. Bella Wolfgang Clinton likewise in attended, sharing glimpses inside the party which had oysters and pasta on offer. Social media posts shared by attendees showed the party people enjoying caviar and champagne and partying until the wee hours. The socialites and celebrities mingled through the evening, taking fun bathroom selfies and dancing wildly as the night wore on.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Q1 2025 Legacy Housing Corp Earnings Call
Robert Bates; President, Chief Executive Officer; Legacy Housing Corp Max Africk; General Counsel, Corporate Secretary; Legacy Housing Corp Jeffrey Fiedelman; Chief Financial Officer; Legacy Housing Corp Mark Smith; Analyst; Lake Street Capital Markets Stefano Latapy; Analyst; Cannell Capital LLC Operator Good day, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Legacy Housing Corporation Q1 2025 earnings conference call. (Operator Instructions) Please be advised that today's conference is being recorded. I would now like to hand the conference over to your speaker today, Max Africk, General Counsel. Please go ahead. Robert Bates Good morning. This is Duncan Bates, Legacy's President and CEO. Thank you for joining Legacy's first quarter 2025 conference call. Max Africk, our General Counsel, will read the Safe Harbor disclosure before getting started. Max? Max Africk Thanks, Duncan. Before we begin, I will remind our listeners that management's prepared remarks today will contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, and management may make additional forward-looking statements in response to your questions. Therefore, the company claims the protection of the Safe Harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ from management's current expectations, and any projections as to the company's future performance represent management's best estimates as of today's call. Legacy, moreover, assumes no obligation to update these projections in the future unless otherwise required by applicable law. Robert Bates Thanks, Max. Jeff Fiedelman, Legacy's Chief Financial Officer, will discuss our first-quarter financial performance, then I'll provide additional corporate updates and open the call for Q&A. Jeff? Jeffrey Fiedelman Thanks, Duncan. Product sales primarily consist of direct sales, commercial sales, inventory finance sales, and retail store sales. Product sales decreased $6.5 million or 21.2% during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024. This decrease was driven by a decrease in unit volumes shipped primarily in mobile home park sales, retail sales, direct sales, and other product sales categories. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, our net revenue per product sold increased by 23.1% as compared to the same period in 2024. The increase is primarily due to a decrease in units sold to mobile home parks, which were sold at wholesale prices and an increase in units sold to consumers, which are sold at higher retail prices. Consumer MHP and dealer loans interest income did not change during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024. Between March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2024, our consumer loan portfolio increased by $20.3 million. Our MHP loan portfolio increased by $20.1 million, and our dealer finance notes decreased by $2.4 million. Other revenue primarily consists of contract deposit forfeitures, consignment fees, commercial lease rents, land sales, service fees and other miscellaneous income and decreased $1.0 million or 59.2% during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024. This decrease was primarily due to a $1.1 million decrease in forfeited deposits, partially offset by a $0.2 million increase in portfolio fees and service revenue and land sales and a net $0.1 million decrease in other miscellaneous revenue. Cost of product sales decreased $3.3 million or 16.0% during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024. The decrease in cost is primarily related to the decrease in units sold. Gross profit margin was 29.2% of product sales during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to 33.6% during the three months ended March 31, 2024. The cost of other sales was $0.5 million during the three months ended March 31, 2025. Selling, general, and administrative expenses increased $0.4 million or 6.9% during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024. We had a $0.6 million increase in legal expense, a $0.5 million increase in loan loss provision and a $0.3 million increase in other miscellaneous expense, offset by a $0.4 million decrease in warranty expense, a $0.3 million decrease in payroll and related expense, and a $0.3 million decrease in professional fees. Other income decreased $0.6 million or 35.5% during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as compared to the same period in 2024. We had a decrease of $0.8 million in non-operating interest income, primarily as a result of the settlement agreement that we reached with a significant borrower in the third quarter of 2024, offset by a decrease of $0.2 million in interest expense. Net income decreased 32.1% to $10.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024. Basic earnings per share decreased to $0.43 per share or 30.6% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of 2024. As of March 31, 2025, we had approximately $3.4 million in cash compared to $1.1 million as of December 31, 2024. We did not draw on the revolver in the first quarter. The outstanding balance of the revolver was 0 as of both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024. At the end of the first quarter 2025, Legacy's book value per basic share outstanding was $20.87, an increase of 13.1% from the same period in 2024. Robert Bates Thanks, Jeff. Obviously, first-quarter shipments were lower than we would have liked. I want to discuss the steps we have taken to address product sales growth moving forward. After the last earnings call in March, I flew with our founders to the Biloxi Mobile Home Show. It was a good opportunity for the three of us to walk houses, speak with customers and discuss financing solutions. We led the show aligned on several important changes to our products, park financing program and team. First, our product line needs to be simplified. Over time, we added too many floor plans, color choices, options, et cetera. We analyzed the sales data, dramatically reduced the number of choices and simplified pricing. This change will allow our team to focus on the core products and gain efficiency in the plants. Next, our park financing product has historically catered to the rental model. Our customers purchase homes and rent them to tenants. Some community owners, especially in the Texas markets want the flexibility to sell homes. We introduced a modification to the MHP program that accommodates this, subject to certain conditions. I believe this change will broaden our customer base in our core markets moving forward. Finally, management needs to allocate more time to sales, marketing, and the land development projects. We hired industry veterans in key positions, including General Manager in Fort Worth, Director of Engineering for the company, a Purchasing Manager for the company, and a Texas-based regional manager for our company-owned retail locations. We operate this business closely, but understand the importance of senior management across manufacturing and retail to allocate our time effectively. This was a necessary reset, and I'm encouraged by the feedback to date. Currently, production in Texas is up, and we're working hard to ship houses and extend our backlog. Moving to the market. We are now in the spring selling season. Despite market uncertainty and tariff risks, our outlook for the remainder of 2025 is positive. Independent dealers across most of the footprint are healthy. We saw some slowdown in our South Texas dealers post election during the first quarter, but sales are now recovering. At our company-owned stores, unit sales in April of 2025 were the highest in three years. May 2025 is tracking equally as strong. We view retail finance as a leading indicator on the dealer side. A couple of recent data points: retail loan originations in April 2025 were the highest in one month since going public. Originations year-to-date through April of 2025 are up 51% over last year. Community shipments were lower than expected during the first quarter due to broader market uncertainty and timing delays with specific projects. Last week, I spoke with several community owners at the MHI Conference. Demand for rentals in most regions is solid and M&A activity is improving. I was encouraged by HUD Secretary Scott Turner's speech and the new administration's views on regulatory reform, less restrictive zoning, access to government financing solutions, and updates to the HUD-Code will have a long-term positive impact on our industry if executed. Delinquencies across the loan portfolios remain low, and recovery rates continue to be strong. There were no material land sales during the first quarter, but we will continue to monetize noncore landholdings throughout the year. Near Austin, we continue pushing forward in Bastrop County with our 1,100 pad development. I drove the property a few weeks ago. The roads and utilities are completed in Phase 1. We still anticipate selling lots in Phase 1 this summer. Phase 2, the rental community is not far behind. We are building the roads and water treatment plant now. Lot rent in the area is over $1,000 a month, and we believe this property is extremely valuable. We just need to finish it. Share repurchases during the first quarter were limited by a narrow window and trading restrictions. Despite the soft quarter, we're long-term focused and have plenty of balance sheet to repurchase shares at current trading levels. We continue to believe in the long-term fundamentals of manufactured housing and the value proposition that Legacy Housing provides its customers. Operator, this concludes our prepared remarks. Please begin the Q&A. Operator (Operator Instructions) Mark Smith, Lake Street. Mark Smith I wanted to ask a little bit about pricing at first. It sounds like the main reason for average price per home going up so much is just due to the mix. But can you talk about any pricing maybe that you took during the quarter? Robert Bates Yes. So the primary driver of the increase in average selling price was the mix. So obviously, soft quarter with shipments to mobile home parks, but we had a pretty strong quarter with retail sales and inventory finance sales, which shifted the mix way up, I think, too far up. In general, we're obviously looking closely into all the tariffs around raw materials, and we pushed through a price increase in February. We're planning to push through another price increase in mid-June. And I think the good news is with the announcement yesterday, the price increase is not nearly as severe as we were expecting. Mark Smith Okay. And then just back on MHP sales here. How much of this is just less demand from parks versus maybe timing of orders. If you could quantify or speak to maybe orders, your backlog, that would be great. Robert Bates Sure. I think it's a combination of both. We did have some shipments, both out of all three plants -- or all three regions. So over in Georgia, we had a pretty large order that got pushed into the second quarter. In Texas, we had the same thing and up north with our partnership. They were waiting on some raw material in order to get houses shipped. And so those are three meaningful orders that did slip. But we've been pushing hard on park sales. I mentioned in my comments, in the Texas region, our financing product works really well for community owners that are renting the homes. So they buy the homes, they take the depreciation, they rent the homes versus setting up homes and selling them in your park. And so I think as guys in our Texas territories have spent a lot of money buying parts, they're trying to unlock or get some of their -- return some of their capital by selling the houses. And so that's a modification that we've done, and we're just rolling out now. The feedback has been pretty good. But I think that allows us to pick up some of the guys that have shifted more toward tenant-owned homes versus the traditional rental model that we believe in. Mark Smith Okay. And then lastly, Duncan, can you just remind us any kind of capital spending or needs or use of cash kind of this year that are outside of the norm? Robert Bates Nothing outside the norm. We're really pushing hard to get Bastrop completed. So we've got some additional capital going into that. We're looking at opportunities all the time, whether it's to add to the dealer base or to add to the loan portfolio or to even add manufacturing capacity. So we're currently monetizing some noncore real estate. You'll see that flowing in. And then outside of that, it's developments, retail, manufacturing capacity and adding more notes to the portfolio. Operator Daniel Moore, CJS Securities. This is [Will] on for Dan. Can you talk about your expectations for production rates across your three plants for Q2 relative to Q1? And what can you tell us about your discussions with customers in both retail and community markets and the cadence of order rates in Q1 and thus far in Q2? Robert Bates Yes. Well, we came out of seasonably slower period. I think that we're pretty enthusiastic about the dealer side of the business and especially our company-owned retail stores, and you see that in the retail loan originations. Park side has been slower. It's lumpier. If you get large orders that are held for permitting or because the pads aren't finished or they can't get them set quick enough, it could have a meaningful impact on your quarter, and that's what we saw here. I mentioned in my comments that we really simplified the product portfolio, and we're rolling that out to the customer base now. But I think you can imagine all the downstream effects of having too many color options and too many floor plans and too many additions to the house. So we've really streamlined that, which will help us get production up even higher in the Texas plants where we have orders. In Georgia, Georgia continues to sell and they continue to build. And we're really focused on rebuilding the dealer base there and adding new independent dealers. So I think as the team continues to make progress there, we'll be able to put production in Georgia higher than where we are now. But certainly, production in Texas for Q2 will be higher than Q1. And then how should we think about gross margin and operating margins in Q2 and the back half of the year relative to Q1? Robert Bates I'd say this is probably the lower end of the range, right? We're under-absorbed on labor. We just pushed through a price increase in February. We've got another one coming in June. We're keeping an eye on material prices. But I think somewhere around 30% seems realistic. And then just one more. How much of a sticking point of tariffs and trade uncertainty been for your retail and community customers? And conversely, do you see the reduction in proposed tariffs as a meaningful potential catalyst for demand? Robert Bates I think it's -- the tariffs in our business compared to a lot of other industries are not -- I mean they're a real consideration, but they're not a huge consideration. We manufacture all of our products here. And the vast majority of the raw materials that go into one of our homes are domestically sourced. But I think the tougher thing for the business environment, regardless of what industry you're in, it's just the uncertainty because everyone is impacted. But I mean, I think you're hesitant to go out and make a large investment or add people to the team, just given all of the moving pieces over the past few months. Thank you. Operator (Operator Instructions) Stefano Latapy, Cannell Capital LLC. Stefano Latapy I have a question. This morning, Craig-Hallum came with a note on Capital and Skyline Champion, where they said that the shipments were strong for the quarter, and you're expecting (inaudible) on the companies. I'm just asking why they have good shipments versus you guys? Robert Bates Well, I think it comes down to a couple of things. I mean we just talked about we had some delayed shipments. And I think a combination of pricing and the complexity of our product has hurt us this quarter. We've also had a lot of new people in the sales team, but I feel good about finishing the year strong. I think that pricing across the market has been really competitive. And we've chosen to keep our pricing where it is even at lower volumes. And so as things pick up here, I think our pricing has fallen in line with where we've historically played, and the backlog will continue to build. Stefano Latapy Okay. So it's what more you will consider this to be more something specifically to you guys due to what you've explained on the call rather than the industry being weak? Robert Bates That's correct. Yes, I think the industry -- we're halfway through May right now. So a lot of things have happened since the end of the quarter. But I think overall, I'm very confident in the industry. And I think others are, too, Affordability is a real challenge. And if you look at the price points of our homes and the financing solutions that we offer, I think if the industry gets any type of regulatory relief from the new administration that could have a really positive impact, but we're expecting a positive year. Operator And I would now like to hand the conference back to Duncan Bates for any further remarks. Robert Bates Thank you for joining today's earnings call. We appreciate your interest in Legacy Housing. Operator, this concludes our call. Operator This concludes today's conference call. Thank you for participating, and you may now disconnect. Everyone, have a great day.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Where 'soft-touch' Britain's asylum seekers are REALLY coming from
Citizens from the US, Australia and Scandinavia are trying to claim asylum in Britain, official figures suggest. Asylum claims have spiralled to all-time highs in the wake of the small boats fiasco, with 108,000 applications lodged in 2024. Pakistan was the most common country of origin (10,542), followed by Afghanistan (8,508), Iran (8,099), Bangladesh (7,225) and Syria (6,680). Those five countries alone made up 38 per cent of all asylum applications last year. Yet critics argue that applications of residents from wealthy Western countries with no major human rights abuses are proof that we've become a 'soft touch'. In 2024, there were 99 claims from the US, 22 from Italy, 20 from Portugal, 17 from France, and 10 from Australia. Separately, applications also came from the oil-rich states of Kuwait (1,936), Bahrain (203) and Saudi Arabia (202), as well as the Caribbean tourist hotspots of Trinidad and Tobago (444), St Vincent and the Grenadines (102) and Antigua and Barbuda (16). To be eligible for asylum, the Home Office states: 'You must have left your country and be unable to go back because you fear persecution.' The Home Office uses the claimant's primary/preferred nationality for dual nationals. In cases where there is a disputed nationality, officials log what they believe is true. Robert Bates, of the Centre for Migration Control, told MailOnline: 'Our asylum system is far too generous and is one of the most easily accessible in the world. 'It is incapable of weeding out individuals who are simply economic migrants that are chancing their arm. 'This is why people from peaceful and prosperous countries are lodging claims here, because they are all but guaranteed access to state handouts and support for their desired lifestyle. 'If they were genuine asylum seekers then they would have no qualms in resettling somewhere closer to their homeland, where the cultural and societal norms are more familiar. 'But Britain is now seen as the land of milk and honey.' The Home Office states that individuals claiming asylum in the UK must demonstrate they are unable to live safely in any part of their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution. This could be based on their race, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, political opinion, or any other factor that places them at risk due to the social, cultural, religious, or political situation in their country. Only once asylum seekers are officially granted refugee status or another humanitarian protection status are they allowed to work, study and claim benefits such as Universal Credit in the UK. When it came to initial asylum applications from the US, 13 were granted and 45 refused in 2024 – giving an approval rate of 22 per cent. Of the grants, four were given humanitarian protection status and nine refugee status. Almost all claims from countries experiencing ongoing conflict such as Syria (98 per cent) and Sudan (99 per cent) were granted. Albania had one of the lowest rates (3.7 per cent). On average in 2024, 53 per cent of applications were refused at initial decision – not counting withdrawals. However, there have been a number of high-profile cases of former asylum seekers being allowed to stay due to extremely controversial reasons. One such case from earlier this year involved an immigration tribunal ruling that an Albanian criminal would be allowed to stay because his son had a 'distaste' for foreign chicken nuggets. As well as breaking down asylum seekers by nationality, the data also breaks it down by gender. It reveals that in 2024, three-quarters of applicants were male. The data shows that asylum seekers are also overwhelmingly young, with two-thirds aged under 30. Just 4 per cent were over 50. What is an asylum seeker? Asylum is protection given by a country to someone fleeing from persecution in their own country. An asylum seeker is someone who has applied for asylum and is awaiting a decision on whether they will be granted refugee status. An asylum applicant who does not qualify for refugee status may still be granted leave to remain in the UK for humanitarian or other reasons. An asylum seeker whose application is refused at initial decision may appeal the decision through an appeal process and, if successful, may be granted leave to remain. Britain now spends £5.4billion on asylum, including housing some in hotels and giving them £49.18 per week if their accomodation does not provide meals. Before the small boats crisis unfolded in the English channel, the annual bill for the entire asylum system stood in the region of £732m. The route was almost never used prior to 2018 but since then, around 148,000 people have made the journey – often paying £5,000 to criminal gangs for a one way ticket. Criminal gangs from Albania have been seen brazenly advertising a life in the UK on social media, enticing them with jobs in illegal cannabis 'farms'. Small boat arrivals now make-up nearly a third of all asylum claims. Others arrive through legal routes such as on a student visa before they lodge an application. In March there was a report that detailed at least a 100-fold increase in the number of foreign nationals arriving here as 'skilled workers' and then claiming to be refugees. Asylum claims made by this category of visa-holder jumped from 53 in 2022 to 5,300 in the first ten months of last year. Alp Mehmet, the chairman for Migration Watch UK, said: 'The diverse nationalities now claiming asylum shows what a soft touch we've become and that the system is not only a huge cost to the taxpayer but also not fit for purpose. 'For so long as the government remains in denial about the total failure of its policies, both the flow of illegal migrants and the costs will go on climbing.' When an application is refused at initial decision, it may be appealed. Between 2004 and 2021, around three-quarters of applicants refused asylum at initial decision lodged an appeal. Nearly a third of those appeals were allowed. However, the quality of decision-making is often poor, with many refugees having to rely on the courts to award protection following an appeal of the Government's initial decision, according to The Refugee Council. The appeals process can be complex and lengthy, with people seeking asylum having to wait months in state-provided accommodation for their appeals to be heard. Mr Bates said: 'Our asylum system is a huge drain on the public finances. 'We must implement a strong deportation programme along with an effective freeze on new applications until, at least, we have got our house in order and costs under control. 'This is the only way to deter would-be economic migrants from attempting to take advantage of our hospitality.' It should be noted that while most grants of refuge have historically come via the UK's in-country asylum process, others have come via resettlement schemes following specific cases involving countries such as Ukraine, Syria, Hong Kong, and Afghanistan. This means refugees from these schemes are not recorded in the figures for general asylum seekers. These numbers can be quite significant, for instance, the number of Ukrainian refugees who arrived in the UK in 2022 (155,000) was around the same as the number of people granted refuge in the UK from all origins, in total, between 2014 and 2021. Although Ukrainians arriving under these schemes are often referred to as refugees, they do not have the legal status as refugees that are granted asylum in the usual way. Instead they derive their right to live and work in the UK from the conditions of the visa schemes. The Home Office has previously claimed the government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain and that it is determined to restore order to the operation. It said it remains resolute in its commitment to remove those with no legal right to be in the UK. Since the election, it said it has returned 6,781 failed asylum seekers, a 23 per cent increase in the same period 12 months prior
