Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted in Part
Stop moving pregnant asylum seekers and new mothers without clinical consent and collect related data.
Recommendation
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 the number of pregnant asylum-seeking women and new mothers in the asylum system, the category of accommodation in which they are living, the number of times they are moved, and in which trimester, and whether on each occasion clinical advice was sought and acted on. (Paragraph 140) Nationality and Borders Act 2022
Government Response Summary
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 pregnant women and new mothers but does not address the request to publish that data.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
We recognise the particular vulnerability of pregnant women and new mothers and are committed to ensuring that they receive the support they need. Our policy is clear that moves should only be made where advice on safety has first been sought from a clinician and acted on. In order to improve data collection and monitoring, we have updated our internal guidance to make clear the requirement to record and monitor any moves of pregnant women and new mothers between asylum accommodation settings.