The value of independent review

Earlier in the year, the government launched a review of the Immigration Act. One of the issues canvassed - and which I didn't get around to posting on - was that of reviews and appeals. Here, immigration officials wanted to severely limit potential immigrants' access to independent review of their decisions, replacing the current Residence Review Board wholly or partly with a system of rubberstamp "internal review". However, the Residence Review Board doesn't seem happy about this; their annual report this year noted that the proportion of successful appeals had increased to 44%, including 36% where the Immigration Service's decision was incorrect (up from 31% the year before). It also noted that

This relatively high proportion of incorrect decisions shows the benefit of an independent appeal.

I agree, it does. However, somehow I don't think the Immigration Services is going to see it that way...