Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 29
29
Accepted
Paragraph: 184
Suspend notices of intent for Rwanda removals and review initial screening procedures thoroughly.
Conclusion
We are deeply concerned that the Home Office’s case-by-case risk assessments prior to issuing notices of intent to remove potentially inadmissible asylum claimants to Rwanda appear to be inadequate. There is evidence that a significant number of vulnerable people, to whom the removal process would very likely be harmful, have received such notices. The Home Office should suspend all notices of intent and review its initial screening procedures. No new notices of intent should be issued until the legal challenges to the policy are complete. Should removals to Rwanda be operationalised, we believe thorough vulnerability assessments should be undertaken prior to issuing notices of intent, to avoid the risk of harm to individuals.
Government Response Summary
The government defends its existing Notice of Intent process and Adults at Risk policy, stating that these mechanisms already allow individuals to raise vulnerabilities and ensure regular reviews, without committing to suspending notices or reviewing initial screening procedures as recommended.
Paragraph Reference:
184
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
In relation to the recommendation at paragraph 184, people should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, those coming by small boats to the UK have left a safe country with a similar asylum system to our own. People should not be paying smugglers to go to a destination of their choice, while passing through safe – and in many cases multiple safe – countries. That is why we have rules in place to make asylum claims inadmissible where people have travelled through or have a connection to safe countries. The recent Court of Appeal judgment confirmed that Article 31 of the Refugee Convention does not in principle prevent the UK from removing asylum-seekers to a safe third country. The Notice of Intent process is part of the process of gathering evidence to assess whether it is appropriate to make an inadmissibility decision and relocate to Rwanda. The Notice of Intent allows individuals to raise claimed vulnerabilities or characteristics that mean it would not be safe for them to be relocated to the countries identified in the notice. Throughout the inadmissibility process, regular reviews are undertaken to ensure that continued action remains lawful, appropriate and proportionate. Where a decision to detain is to be made, the Adults at Risk policy ensures that vulnerable people are detained only when the immigration factors outweigh the risk of harm to the individual in any given case. Case Progression Panels with independent panel members provide additional assurance and challenge on progression, reinforcing the consideration of removability, vulnerability and risk factors in decisions to maintain detention.