Recommendations & Conclusions
9 items
2
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
It is not currently possible from published official data to monitor outcomes in the asylum process for groups of people with vulnerabilities arising from Equality Act protected characteristics. Experimental statistics on sexual orientation-based claims are a good start and we welcome the Home Office’s intention to increase its collection of …
Government response. The government states it already publishes some requested data and is developing a new caseworking system (Atlas) to improve data recording capabilities. It hopes to publish further disaggregated details, such as grounds for asylum, once this new system is established, …
Government Equalities Office
9
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
We recommend the Home Office establish a programme of religious impartiality and LGBT sensitivity training for all language interpreters on its approved list. We further recommend the Department review and enhance its training of asylum interviewers on avoiding application of stereotypes to asylum claimants in sexual orientation and gender identity-based …
Government response. The government rejects establishing a training programme for interpreters, stating they cannot mandate it for non-Home Office employees but note they adhere to a code of conduct. However, it states it has already redesigned its training program for asylum decision-makers, …
Government Equalities Office
22
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
The Home Office is too often failing to comply with guidance on moving pregnant women and new mothers between asylum accommodation settings. The guidance is clear that such moves are potentially harmful and should only be made where advice on safety has first been sought from a clinician and acted …
Government response. The government acknowledges the vulnerability of pregnant women and new mothers and states that it has updated internal guidance to make clear the requirement to record and monitor moves of these women between asylum accommodation settings.
Government Equalities Office
23
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
The Home Office must stop moving pregnant women and new mothers between asylum accommodation settings unless clinical advice has been sought and acted on, the mother has consented to a move, and it is in the mother’s and baby’s best interests. The Home Office must collect and publish data on …
Government response. The government states its policy is that moves should only be made where safety advice has been sought from a clinician and acted on and that they have updated internal guidance to improve data collection and monitoring of moves for …
Government Equalities Office
26
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
The prolonged detention with no certainty of release of asylum-seeking people who pose no threat to the public and for whom there is little prospect of removal from the UK is potentially harmful, impractical and costly. We are deeply concerned that current and planned reforms in the Nationality and Borders …
Government response. The government confirms its commitment to the Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention policy to mitigate harm to vulnerable adults. However, it rejects abandoning the detention of asylum-seeking children, instead outlining limited circumstances under the Illegal Migration Act where such …
Government Equalities Office
27
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
Monitoring and mitigating adverse effects of detention on groups of asylum seekers with vulnerabilities arising from Equality Act protected characteristics requires much improved data. The Government should collect and publish data on the protected characteristics of detained asylum seekers, including where they are detained and for how long.
Government response. The government states it already publishes data on some protected characteristics like age, sex, nationality, and pregnant women in detention, along with length and place of detention. It acknowledges methodological challenges in collecting full protected characteristics data but is actively …
Government Equalities Office
30
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
We believe the risks of harm to children arising from the removal process outweigh any risks of damaging the intended deterrent effect of the Rwanda policy. The Government should abandon any intention of forcibly removing children to Rwanda.
Government response. The government does not abandon the intention but states that unaccompanied children will only be removed in very limited circumstances and only once they reach adulthood. Children would only be relocated as part of family groups, subject to a further …
Government Equalities Office
31
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
Should removals to Rwanda be operationalised after the legal challenges are complete, the Government must record and publish full equality data, disaggregated by Equality Act protected characteristics, of people issued with a notice of intent; people issued with a notice of removal; and those removed to Rwanda. It should also …
Government response. The government publishes some statistics and acknowledges challenges in collecting full disaggregated equality data, stating active work is underway to improve this with a new case working system. It confirms that a joint committee and an independent monitoring committee have …
Government Equalities Office
33
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy…
Accepted in Part
In contrast to the generally positive experiences of many Syrians who came to the UK via the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, many Afghan refugees’ experiences of resettlement have been fraught with difficulty. While some of the early issues were a consequence of the unplanned nature, and sheer scale, of the …
Government response. The government details its commitment to Pathway 2 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, noting 40 arrivals by March 2023 and having requested 2,000 referrals from UNHCR in the first year. It states it will continue to receive referrals but …
Government Equalities Office