I have just discovered that fiance visas can be capped in any given year and that once the limit is reached all further applications are refused and must be placed within a queue for the beginning of the next year (1st July onwards). Does anybody know whether the applications for fiance visas 2008-2009 are getting near the limit?

No-one is going to know that. But usually they plan the number of fiance visas available so as to avoid this.