Home / Sources / Select Committees / Women and Equalities Committee / Equality and the UK asylum process
Index live
Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

Equality and the UK asylum process

Status: Closed Opened: 27 Sep 2021 Closed: 6 Feb 2024 23 recommendations 13 conclusions 1 report

An inquiry to examine the fairness of the UK asylum process, looking at the experiences of people seeking asylum who have a range of protected characteristics (as defined in the UK’s Equality Act). Read the terms of reference to find out more about this inquiry .

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asylum process HC 93 27 Jun 2023 36 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
11 Recommendation Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asy… Deferred

Increase funding for asylum legal aid to ensure specialist support for complex claims nationwide.

We recommend the Government increases funding for asylum legal aid to ensure specialist support is available for claimants across the UK during the initial determination process, particularly for sexual orientation and gender identity, sexual and gender-based violence and abuse, and religious belief and apostasy-based claims. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government does not commit to increasing funding for asylum legal aid but states the Ministry of Justice is undertaking a Review of Civil Legal Aid, which will consider options for improving the system for immigration and asylum matters.
Read full response →
Government Equalities Office

Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
25 Jan 2023 Dan Hobbs · Home Office, Mandy Ivemy · Home Office, The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP · Home Office View ↗
15 Jun 2022 Andy Hewett · Refugee Council, Esther Baleh, Jennifer Blair · Ukraine Advice Project UK, Zahra Shaheer View ↗
27 Apr 2022 Esther Muchena · Scottish Refugee Council, Ms Rivka Shaw · Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU), Rosalind Bragg · Maternity Action View ↗
23 Mar 2022 Annie . · VOICES Network, Kathryn Cronin · Garden Court Chambers, Ms Pip McKnight · Refugee Women Connect, Ms Priscilla Dudhia · Women for Refugee Women, Roxana . · VOICES Network View ↗
23 Feb 2022 Dr S Chelvan, Leila Zadeh · Rainbow Migration, Professor Nuno Ferreira · University of Sussex View ↗
26 Jan 2022 David Goodhart · Policy Exchange, Jonathan Thomas · Social Market Foundation, Ms Zoe Gardner · Joint Council on the Welfare of Immigrants, Rossella Pulvirenti · Manchester Metropolitan University View ↗

Who gave evidence

22 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Andy Hewett · Head of Advocacy Refugee Council 1
Annie . · Ambassador VOICES Network 1
Dan Hobbs · Director General, Migration and Borders Group Home Office 1
David Goodhart · Head of Demography, Immigration and Integration U… Policy Exchange 1
Dr S Chelvan — 1
Esther Baleh — 1
Esther Muchena · Asylum Service Manager Scottish Refugee Council 1
Jennifer Blair · Barrister at No5 Chambers and Co founder Ukraine … Ukraine Advice Project UK 1
Jonathan Thomas · Senior Fellow, Migration Researcher Social Market Foundation 1
Kathryn Cronin · Barrister Garden Court Chambers 1
Leila Zadeh · Executive Director Rainbow Migration 1
Mandy Ivemy · Deputy Director Resettlement, Relocation and Reun… Home Office 1
Ms Pip McKnight · Head of Policy and Advocacy Refugee Women Connect 1
Ms Priscilla Dudhia · Policy and Advocacy Coordinator (Destitution) Women for Refugee Women 1
Ms Rivka Shaw · Policy Officer Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) 1
Ms Zoe Gardner · Policy and Advocacy Manager Joint Council on the Welfare of Immigrants 1
Professor Nuno Ferreira · Professor in Law and Leader of SOGICA Project University of Sussex 1
Rosalind Bragg · Director Maternity Action 1
Rossella Pulvirenti · Senior Lecturer in Human Rights Law, Manchester L… Manchester Metropolitan University 1
Roxana . · Ambassador VOICES Network 1
The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP · Minister of State (Minister for Immigration) Home Office 1
Zahra Shaheer — 1

Correspondence

8 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Immigration relating to follow-up evidenc…
1 Feb 2023 To cttee Response from the Director of Detention Services on further questions relating …
25 Jan 2023 To cttee Letter from the Committee to Frances Hardy, Director of Detention Services, Imm…
18 Jan 2023 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Tom Pursglove on Equality and the UK Asylum Process
16 Jan 2023 To cttee Letter from the Director of Detention Services relating to the Committee’s visi…
16 Jan 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Immigration relating to the asylum inquiry
16 Jan 2023 From cttee Letter to the Head of Detention Progression and Returns Command relating to the…
15 Jun 2022 — Correspondence from EHRC regarding of a report into the experience and treatmen…

Meetings & visits

1 item
DateTypeDetail
4 Jul 2022 Informal meeting — · Birmingham