Recommendations & Conclusions
23 items
2
Recommendation
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Department relies upon a disturbingly weak evidence base to assess the impact of its immigration enforcement activity. The lack of reliable evidence on what works prevents it from planning and prioritising its activities effectively. The Department accepts that it cannot easily use data to measure the impact of the …
Read more
The Department relies upon a disturbingly weak evidence base to assess the impact of its immigration enforcement activity. The lack of reliable evidence on what works prevents it from planning and prioritising its activities effectively. The Department accepts that it cannot easily use data to measure the impact of the £400 million it spends each year in Immigration Enforcement and has a “dearth of information” in some aspects of its activities. It allocates resources between its different immigration responsibilities based on “judgements”, but if those judgements are not based on evidence, it is unclear what factors the Department is considering. Worryingly, the Department could not always provide evidence or data to support its decisions, for example on its strategy to tackle organised immigration crime, or to demonstrate understanding of the problems it faces, for example the impact of accessible and good quality legal advice on its success in returns. Although it is working to increase its analytical capabilities to learn from the challenges it faces, this work is only at an early stage. Recommendation: Within six months of this report, the Department should put in place a detailed improvement plan for its collection, use, and analysis of data. It should write to the Committee and set out: • The skills gaps it has identified in its analytical capability and how it intends to fill them; 6 Immigration enforcement • A plan for transforming Immigration Enforcement into a data-led organisation, including timescales and priorities for improvements; and • How it intends to use this in the future to help plan and prioritise its activities.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and has a comprehensive, long-term plan to invest in data analytics, enhance Immigration Enforcement's analytical capability, and transform it into a data-led organization by 2025, with an implementation target of March 2021.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
3
Recommendation
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The culture and make-up of the Department have left it poorly placed to appreciate the impact of its policies on the people affected. The Department has done little to dispel accusations that its decisions are based on a lack of curiosity, preconceptions and even prejudice. The Department acknowledges how close …
Read more
The culture and make-up of the Department have left it poorly placed to appreciate the impact of its policies on the people affected. The Department has done little to dispel accusations that its decisions are based on a lack of curiosity, preconceptions and even prejudice. The Department acknowledges how close it came to being declared institutionally racist in the Windrush lessons learned review and that it has to change its culture. It recognises the value of greater diversity for enabling better decision-making, leadership and governance, though only one member of the Department’s current executive committee comes from a BAME background. Similarly, the Department recognises that it could improve the successful management of cases through the immigration system by adopting a more people-centred approach. Yet there is little existing evidence that the Department actively seeks to identify or evaluate the impact of its actions on the individuals it encounters. This creates a risk of harm and distress to innocent people who are here perfectly legally, and we are not satisfied that the Department attaches sufficient importance to this risk. Recommendation: Building on its response to the Windrush lessons learned review, the Department should mobilise its evidence base and evaluations to challenge its own assumptions and beliefs about the user experience within the immigration system. The Department should write to us by 31st December 2020, setting out the insights it has developed about the experience of its users, and what improvements it is making as a result.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, committing to a new customer strategy, establishing a Young People's Board, and consulting on a Migrants' Commissioner to better incorporate user experience into the immigration system.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
4
Recommendation
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Department’s failure to develop an end-to-end understanding of the immigration system leads to problems which it could avoid. At present, there are gaps in its digital and paper trail, and it is likely these have an impact on Immigration Enforcement’s ability to remove individuals from the UK. The Department …
Read more
The Department’s failure to develop an end-to-end understanding of the immigration system leads to problems which it could avoid. At present, there are gaps in its digital and paper trail, and it is likely these have an impact on Immigration Enforcement’s ability to remove individuals from the UK. The Department says that there is now an “active conversation” with Ministers around improving its ability to move cases through the system. In 2019, the Department released 62% of immigration detainees it intended to remove from the UK, an increase from 56% in 2018. The Department believes this rise reflects abuse of asylum claims and other protection routes, but it did not provide any systematic analysis to support this. Given the strong passions seen on all sides of the immigration debate, a Government Department making unsupported claims of this kind risks inflaming prejudices against legitimate immigrants and bona fide asylum seekers. It did, however, accept our suggestion that direct engagement and better quality legal advice at an earlier stage may influence its ability to ensure returns are successful. Recommendation: The Department needs to develop a joined-up approach across the full end-to-end immigration system to ensure that people get the right support at the right time. It should record and assess how people move through the immigration system to understand where and how problems arise. This should include evaluating whether earlier access to good quality, affordable legal advice Immigration enforcement 7 might help to reduce the number of late claims. The Department should write to the Committee within six months of this report, setting out progress in this regard.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and has a five-year transformation program to deliver a more joined-up immigration system, including digitised processes, a digital identity capability, and a new customer strategy. Consideration will be given to support options for claimants, including access to legal advice.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
5
Recommendation
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Rejected
The Department is unprepared for the challenges the UK’s exit from the EU presents to its immigration enforcement operations. The Department relies on cooperation with EU partners to support its international operations, including the return of foreign national offenders and individuals who arrive in the UK illegally via EU transport …
Read more
The Department is unprepared for the challenges the UK’s exit from the EU presents to its immigration enforcement operations. The Department relies on cooperation with EU partners to support its international operations, including the return of foreign national offenders and individuals who arrive in the UK illegally via EU transport hubs. It would like this cooperation to continue after the end of the transition period for the UK’s departure from the EU but showed a worrying lack of urgency about securing the necessary agreements. When we took evidence in mid- July, the Department provided no evidence that it had begun discussions with EU partners or internally to prepare for the possible impact these changes may have on its operations. Without putting new arrangements in place successfully, there is a real risk that EU exit will actually make it more difficult to remove foreign national offenders and those who try to enter the country illegally. Recommendation: The Department urgently needs to develop a forward plan and put in place actions to mitigate the risks to its work with EU partners. This should include consideration of reciprocal arrangements for: • immigration staff working in other countries; • the return of offenders, from the UK to EU member states and vice versa, following the end of transition period; and • the return of individuals who attempt to enter the UK with false documents or by clandestine means from an EU country, or indeed those who enter EU countries from the UK.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation, stating it is already working hard, has made preparations, and continues to make offers to the EU for future reciprocal arrangements on returns and family reunion, which remains its goal.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
6
Recommendation
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Not Addressed
We are not convinced that the Department is sufficiently prepared to safeguard the status of individuals while also implementing a new immigration system and managing its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department faces several challenges in the immediate future. The extension of visas during the COVID-19 pandemic raises concerns …
Read more
We are not convinced that the Department is sufficiently prepared to safeguard the status of individuals while also implementing a new immigration system and managing its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department faces several challenges in the immediate future. The extension of visas during the COVID-19 pandemic raises concerns that mistakes in case and data management could affect an individual’s future immigration status. The Immigration Enforcement directorate also needs to adapt to the updated vision and values the Department sets out for the UK’s future immigration system from January 2021. The Department committed again to implementing the recommendations of the Windrush lessons learned review and contacting all those who were affected, not only those from the Caribbean. Whilst we are pleased that this is the Home Office’s policy now, we note that the Department initially rejected the recommendation made by our predecessor Committee in March 2019 that the Department should extend its historical reviews beyond Caribbean Commonwealth nationals to include nationals from other Commonwealth countries. Tackling these challenges will require significant change. The Department pins its hopes on its ongoing programme of digitisation and automation to support its response to these challenges, including its implementation of Atlas, but its history of delivering such projects is patchy at best. Recommendation: Within six weeks of this report, the Department should write to this committee to explain its priorities while implementing these significant changes. Specifically, it should set out: 8 Immigration enforcement • How it will balance risks to delivery against the risk that these changes will unfairly affect the lives and rights of individuals; • What practical steps the Department has taken and will take to achieve this balance; and • What testing it has conducted to ensure that its information systems can fully support these steps. Immigration enforcement 9
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government's response does not address the recommendation to explain its priorities for balancing risks and safeguarding individuals during immigration system changes, instead discussing the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
1
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Not Addressed
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Home Office (the Department) about immigration enforcement activities in the UK.1
Government response AI summary
The government's response does not address the committee's introductory statement about taking evidence from the Home Office on immigration enforcement activities, instead listing unrelated NHS and social care topics.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Department described the different forms of harm that occur from immigration crime. These include criminal harm by foreign national offenders against their victims and society, and the harm organised crime groups commit against society and vulnerable people. It also includes the financial harm to legitimate UK employers of competitors …
Read more
The Department described the different forms of harm that occur from immigration crime. These include criminal harm by foreign national offenders against their victims and society, and the harm organised crime groups commit against society and vulnerable people. It also includes the financial harm to legitimate UK employers of competitors employing people illegally and harm caused to taxpayer-funded public services by people attempting to use them illegally.10 The Department acknowledged that the vast majority of illegal immigrants do not cause direct harm to the public, but can cause harm to the wider economy.11 In response to a recommendation in the NAO’s report, the Department told us it was reviewing whether its use of the concepts of risk, threat and harm was consistent.12
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and commits to a significant programme, targeting Spring 2022, to enhance its understanding of the illegal population within the UK, including developing a comprehensive database and assessing economic harm, with publication explored for early 2021.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
8
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
We asked the Department about the financial impact of providing public services to people who should not be receiving them. It could not provide a figure for this.13 We heard that the Department had no data on the harm suffered by people who were victims of organised immigration crime or …
Read more
We asked the Department about the financial impact of providing public services to people who should not be receiving them. It could not provide a figure for this.13 We heard that the Department had no data on the harm suffered by people who were victims of organised immigration crime or the distinction between those victims and other immigration offenders.14 We asked when the Department would have meaningful and reliable indicators of the scale of harm in its four categories. The Department claimed it can measure the amount of harm that it prevents, for example by removing a foreign national offender, but acknowledged that it would be a long time before it could measure the total harm that arises from immigration crime.15 6 Qq 38–39, 42–43, 64 7 Q 46 8 Q 35 9 Qq 45, 46 10 Q 33 11 Q 40 12 Qq 33, 40; C&AG’s Report, para 19 13 Q 34 14 Q 36 15 Q 43 Immigration enforcement 11 2 Understanding the business and setting priorities Using information to manage the business effectively
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government is developing a database to enhance its understanding of the illegal population, including harm and vulnerability, and an economic assessment of harm caused by illegal migration is at an advanced stage, with publication explored for early 2021.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The NAO reported that Immigration Enforcement uses management information to assess the performance of individual teams rather than the system’s overall health, and the Department accepted this finding.16 We asked whether the Department could deliver an effective immigration enforcement service without basic management information. The Department rejected the suggestion that …
Read more
The NAO reported that Immigration Enforcement uses management information to assess the performance of individual teams rather than the system’s overall health, and the Department accepted this finding.16 We asked whether the Department could deliver an effective immigration enforcement service without basic management information. The Department rejected the suggestion that it had no management information, and stated it had “too much [management information], but not of the right sort”. It recognised the need to improve its management information and its ability to measure the overall outcomes of its activities rather than inputs and outputs.17 For example, the NAO reported that the Department and its partners identified 11,300 clandestine attempts to enter the country at UK ports and 35,600 attempts from overseas in the twelve months to the end of October
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and commits to investing in data analytics, developing new infrastructure for high-quality data, and implementing a comprehensive long-term plan to transform Immigration Enforcement's data exploitation by 2025, with an initial target implementation date of March 2021.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
We asked how the Department allocated resources across the immigration system and heard that this relies upon the judgements of senior staff rather than direct evidence. The Department explained that a “dearth of information” on some immigration enforcement activities meant it is not possible to assess the outcomes of deploying …
Read more
We asked how the Department allocated resources across the immigration system and heard that this relies upon the judgements of senior staff rather than direct evidence. The Department explained that a “dearth of information” on some immigration enforcement activities meant it is not possible to assess the outcomes of deploying resources from one part of the system to another.20 The Department accepted that it had not always focussed on gathering data that would allow Immigration Enforcement to prioritise effectively. The Department also stated that it is attempting to better understand the illegal population so it can make “the right interventions with the right people at the right time”. We heard that Immigration Enforcement now focusses on improving prioritisation by putting harm at the top of its prioritisation framework. We asked whether someone who is not doing any harm would be a lower priority, and heard that people who are in the UK illegally would always be of interest to Immigration Enforcement.21
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and is undertaking a significant program of work, including technology investments and a long-term plan, to enhance data analytics capabilities within Immigration Enforcement and transform into a data-led organization by 2025.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
11
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
During the evidence session, the Department failed to provide a specific answer to questions about the characteristics of the illegal population or the evidence it used to make decisions.22 We asked the Department to provide us with facts to support its claims rather than possibilities or speculation.23 For example, the …
Read more
During the evidence session, the Department failed to provide a specific answer to questions about the characteristics of the illegal population or the evidence it used to make decisions.22 We asked the Department to provide us with facts to support its claims rather than possibilities or speculation.23 For example, the NAO reported that the Department could not support its assertion that a larger number of minor disruptions could have a more lasting effect on organised crime groups than major disruptions. The Department 16 Q 78; C&AG’s Report, para 3.15 17 Qq 34, 42 18 C&AG’s Report, para 2.6 19 Q 77 20 Qq 47, 49 21 Qq 41, 42 22 Qq 34, 36, 80, 95, 97, 105 23 Q 40, 98 12 Immigration enforcement had agreed the NAO report and so it was somewhat surprising to hear the Department respond that it “did not express itself [to the NAO] as well as it could have done” on this point.24 The NAO also reported other cases where the Department could not provide solid evidence for its actions.25 We asked whether acting without adequate evidence left the Department open to the charge that it acted on prejudice. The Department responded that it was determined to act on evidence and data. It admitted its frustration at not being able to have a clearer assessment of its value for money and prioritisation decisions and expressed its wish to improve.26 Challenging assumptions within Immigration Enforcement
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government is developing a database to enhance its understanding of the illegal population, including harm and vulnerability, and an economic assessment of harm caused by illegal migration is at an advanced stage, with publication explored for early 2021.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
12
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Committee of Public Accounts has found previously that the Department did not use its own data to fully explore the impact of its work on individuals.27 During the evidence session, we asked whether the Department considered the implications of immigration enforcement actions for young people whose immigration status had …
Read more
The Committee of Public Accounts has found previously that the Department did not use its own data to fully explore the impact of its work on individuals.27 During the evidence session, we asked whether the Department considered the implications of immigration enforcement actions for young people whose immigration status had not been formalised.28 The Department did not think these people would be a “particular priority” and said it would take into account any barriers that had prevented their earlier engagement with the UK Visas and Immigration or Immigration Enforcement. We heard that the Department “would hope” that these cases would be identified earlier to allow discussions about their status and that checkpoints in the system would prevent them being unnecessarily caught up in the enforcement system.29
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government commits to using customer insight and engagement, informed by the Windrush review, including a new customer strategy, establishing a Young People's Board, and consulting on a Migrants' Commissioner, to improve understanding of individuals' experiences.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
We asked the Department to account for the plummeting number of people it returns to their countries of origin. The Department claimed that the fall in returns was because of greater compliance with immigration rules, changes to the legal framework and higher numbers of claims made on human rights, modern …
Read more
We asked the Department to account for the plummeting number of people it returns to their countries of origin. The Department claimed that the fall in returns was because of greater compliance with immigration rules, changes to the legal framework and higher numbers of claims made on human rights, modern slavery, asylum or medical grounds.30 The Department asserted that most asylum claims in detention are designed to thwart the system, but it accepted it was struggling to see what it could do to prevent this.31 However, the NAO reported that the Department did not explore possible failings within Immigration Enforcement in its internal analysis on unsuccessful returns.32 We did not hear evidence of any analysis the Department had conducted on the impact of decreasing the financial package available for voluntary returns, its claimed success in returning foreign national offenders on charter flights during the COVID-19 pandemic or the percentage of people granted asylum after making a claim in detention.33
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and commits to a significant programme, targeting Summer 2022, to enhance its understanding of the illegal population within the UK, including developing a comprehensive database and assessing economic harm, with publication explored for early 2021.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
14
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The NAO reported that Immigration Enforcement could make better use of its analytical functions and evaluations to improve as an organisation.34 The Department recognises the need to refresh its research and evidence base across the borders and immigration system and told us about its increasing use of analysis and evaluation …
Read more
The NAO reported that Immigration Enforcement could make better use of its analytical functions and evaluations to improve as an organisation.34 The Department recognises the need to refresh its research and evidence base across the borders and immigration system and told us about its increasing use of analysis and evaluation to 24 Qq 97–98; C&AG’s Report, para 2.16 25 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.9 & 2.30 26 Qq 105–106 27 HC Committee of Public Accounts, Windrush generation and the Home Office, Eighty-second report of session 2017–19, HC 1518, 6 March 2019, pp.6–7 28 Q 67 29 Qq 68–69 30 Q 80; C&AG’s Report para 2.30 31 Q 93 32 C&AG’s Report, para 2.30 33 Qq 81, 90, 93 34 C&AG’s Report para 3.23 Immigration enforcement 13 demonstrate the impact of its immigration enforcement activities.35 The Department also told us that it needs to open up and “get much more used to working with and listening to the communities” working with it, particularly those who have not had a positive view of it.36 It expressed the need for a more people-centred immigration process, which it defined as supporting the people within it.37
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and is undertaking a significant program of work, including technology investments and a long-term plan, to enhance data analytics capabilities within Immigration Enforcement and transform into a data-led organization by 2025.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
15
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Department accepted that the Windrush lessons learned review had come exceptionally close to declaring it as institutionally racist. We were pleased to hear the Department commit to implementing each of the recommendations of that report and acknowledge the need to change the whole culture of the Department.38 We asked …
Read more
The Department accepted that the Windrush lessons learned review had come exceptionally close to declaring it as institutionally racist. We were pleased to hear the Department commit to implementing each of the recommendations of that report and acknowledge the need to change the whole culture of the Department.38 We asked what proportion of senior staff within the Department came from minority backgrounds; only one member of its Executive Committee came from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background.39 The Department described the benefits of greater diversity at senior levels for its decision-making, leadership and governance but acknowledged diversity as being its biggest issue.40 Organising an end-to-end immigration enforcement system
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government commits to using customer insight and engagement, informed by the Windrush review, including a new customer strategy, establishing a Young People's Board, and consulting on a Migrants' Commissioner, to improve user experience and feedback.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
16
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
We asked whether Immigration Enforcement should focus on in-country immigration enforcement rather than having to provide support at the border. The Department responded that it sees managing immigration into the country and in- country as a single system.41 However, the NAO reported that the Department “does not yet manage” immigration …
Read more
We asked whether Immigration Enforcement should focus on in-country immigration enforcement rather than having to provide support at the border. The Department responded that it sees managing immigration into the country and in- country as a single system.41 However, the NAO reported that the Department “does not yet manage” immigration enforcement as an end-to-end system.42 The Department accepted the need for an end-to-end perspective which supports a smoother route for people through its immigration enforcement processes.43 The Department said it is working with Ministers to address issues affecting its ability to move people’s cases forward. It also believes that its modernisation programmes will better support that end-to-end perspective.44 The Department claimed, though, that there were examples where it worked together as a “seamless whole”. We suggested that these examples were thin on the ground in the NAO’s report and requested more specific details.45
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the implied recommendation and outlines significant plans to deliver a more joined-up and end-to-end immigration system through a five-year transformation programme, including digitised processes and a digital identity capability, targeting Summer 2025.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
17
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Department told us that it works with different parts of the public sector and Government, such as the Ministry of Justice, to deliver its immigration enforcement services, and that this cooperation may not appear in its performance data.46 We heard that Immigration Enforcement is providing more opportunities for face-to-face …
Read more
The Department told us that it works with different parts of the public sector and Government, such as the Ministry of Justice, to deliver its immigration enforcement services, and that this cooperation may not appear in its performance data.46 We heard that Immigration Enforcement is providing more opportunities for face-to-face interactions and maintaining contact with people even when they are engaged with other agencies.47 It claimed that this allowed it to make the “right intervention” with those people at a later point.48 35 Qq 35, 63, 102 36 Q 65 37 Qq 8, 103 38 Q 71 39 Q 74 40 Q 76 41 Qq 48, 49 42 C&AG’s Report, para 18 43 Qq 38, 78, 94, 103, 104 44 Qq 38, 102 45 Qq 78, 79 46 Qq 36, 41, 67 47 Qq 41, 68, 81 48 Q 41 14 Immigration enforcement
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the implied recommendation and outlines significant plans to deliver a more joined-up and end-to-end immigration system through a five-year transformation programme, including digitised processes and a digital identity capability, targeting Summer 2025.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
18
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
We asked what the Department could learn from its analysis of late asylum claims to reduce the number of these. The NAO reported that the Department failed to complete 62% of the returns it planned from immigration detention in 2019, compared to 56% in 2018.49 We heard how decisions and …
Read more
We asked what the Department could learn from its analysis of late asylum claims to reduce the number of these. The NAO reported that the Department failed to complete 62% of the returns it planned from immigration detention in 2019, compared to 56% in 2018.49 We heard how decisions and trends elsewhere in the system, for example changes in the legal framework and greater compliance on immigration rules, affect the Department’s success in completing returns. The Department explained that a large number of asylum claims in detention slowed down some elements of the immigration system, but it did not specify which elements. We questioned whether other factors such as the Department’s decision to reduce the financial package for voluntary returns or earlier access to good quality legal advice could influence the successful resolution of cases.50 The Department told us it had not directly assessed the possible impact of legal advice, but it believed legal advice could allow cases to flow more smoothly through the system. The Department was not aware of any analysis it had conducted on whether the cost of providing that advice would save money later in the process, but it offered to confirm that point.51 49 C&AG’s Report, para 2.29, Figure 12 50 Qq 79, 80, 82 51 Qq 100, 101 Immigration enforcement 15 3 Planning for the future The impact of EU exit on the immigration enforcement system
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and has a five-year transformation program to deliver a more joined-up immigration system, including digitised processes, a digital identity capability, and a new customer strategy. Consideration will be given to support options for claimants, including access to legal advice.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
19
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Rejected
We asked about the impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on the Department’s immigration enforcement activities.52 The Department has teams in EU countries which support its work to prevent unlawful entry to the UK and to tackle organised immigration crime. The Department told us the Dublin II agreement …
Read more
We asked about the impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on the Department’s immigration enforcement activities.52 The Department has teams in EU countries which support its work to prevent unlawful entry to the UK and to tackle organised immigration crime. The Department told us the Dublin II agreement allows it to pass responsibility for some asylum cases to EU member states, for example where non-EU nationals enter the UK by clandestine or illegal means from EU countries.53 The Department also explained it has a series of prison transfer arrangements linked to the EU which support the return of foreign national offenders. But the Department believed that many of the arrangements for returns with individual EU member states are done bilaterally, rather than through the EU and Commission.54
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government explicitly disagrees with the Committee's implicit recommendation regarding post-EU departure immigration enforcement activities, stating it is actively preparing for the end of the transition period and has made offers for future reciprocal arrangements with the EU.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
20
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Rejected
The Department acknowledged that these arrangements would be part of the ongoing negotiations with the EU.55 We asked whether Immigration Enforcement proposed to keep teams in EU airports after the transition period ended. The Department appeared unconcerned about any possible barriers to this, and said that it did not see …
Read more
The Department acknowledged that these arrangements would be part of the ongoing negotiations with the EU.55 We asked whether Immigration Enforcement proposed to keep teams in EU airports after the transition period ended. The Department appeared unconcerned about any possible barriers to this, and said that it did not see any reason why the arrangements would change.56 It also told us it was not aware of any legal barriers to this work and that this issue had not been raised, but it suggested that no discussions had taken place within the Department to prepare for any change in these arrangements. It acknowledged that it would require individual agreements with member states to maintain the presence of UK Immigration Enforcement teams in EU states following the end of the transition period. It highlighted France and Belgium as particular priorities, but it was not aware of any discussions it had had with EU member states. The Department told us its discussions to date had focused on its ambition to replace the Dublin II Regulation and EURODAC system.57 Planning for changes to the immigration enforcement system
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government explicitly disagrees with the Committee's implicit recommendation regarding post-EU departure immigration enforcement arrangements, stating it is actively preparing for the end of the transition period and has made offers for future reciprocal arrangements with the EU.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
21
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Department reiterated its commitment to implementing the 30 recommendations of the Windrush lessons learned review. We heard that it was making progress with the Windrush compensation scheme but was unwilling to set itself targets on the number of cases or amount of money it would deal with.58 It underlined …
Read more
The Department reiterated its commitment to implementing the 30 recommendations of the Windrush lessons learned review. We heard that it was making progress with the Windrush compensation scheme but was unwilling to set itself targets on the number of cases or amount of money it would deal with.58 It underlined its commitment to include people from non-Caribbean Commonwealth countries in the scope of its Windrush response and offered to write to us with further details of those efforts.59 The Department acknowledged that the review had been a difficult read and stated it had no intention of turning its response into a box-ticking exercise. It stressed the need to understand the scale of transformation that would be involved in delivering on these commitments, which would include setting a vision and values for the whole Department as it implements the 52 Q 84 53 Qq 50–52 54 Qq 84, 85 55 Qq 58, 84 56 Q 53 57 Qq 55–60 58 Qq 9, 11 59 Qq 65–66 16 Immigration enforcement new immigration system. However, when we took evidence in mid-July, the Department did not describe specific steps it would take in responding to the review.60
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees and aims for implementation by November 2020, explaining that the new points-based immigration system, being delivered by January 2021, is shaped by the Windrush lessons learned review and aims to improve customer understanding and oversight.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
22
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department extended the visas of all individuals for whom it was difficult to seek visa extensions or return home. The Department told us it was unlikely to apply another blanket extension beyond the end of July 2020 and would instead look on a case-by-case basis.61 …
Read more
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department extended the visas of all individuals for whom it was difficult to seek visa extensions or return home. The Department told us it was unlikely to apply another blanket extension beyond the end of July 2020 and would instead look on a case-by-case basis.61 The Committee of Public Accounts has previously reported concerns that the Department did not take seriously the risks of making “life- changing decisions” on people’s futures based on “incorrect data from systems that are not fit for purpose”.62 We asked the Department how it could ensure it avoids similar mistakes that would affect someone’s future immigration status. The Department recognised that its data systems in the past would not have been capable of keeping track of such cases, but it assured us that it would take a careful approach and make itself available to anyone who felt they were not being given adequate support.63
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government states it agrees with the (implicit) recommendation, outlining its focus on delivering the new points-based immigration system by January 2021, subject to independent scrutiny, and building on the success of the EUSS to ensure careful data handling and support.
Read full response →
HM Treasury
23
Conclusion
Seventeenth Report - Immigration enforc…
Accepted
The Department told us that it has high hopes for its modernisation and transformation projects. However, the NAO reported that the Department agrees funding for its transformation projects on an annual basis, and their longer-term development is therefore uncertain.64 We heard that e-visas and the introduction of its Atlas programme …
Read more
The Department told us that it has high hopes for its modernisation and transformation projects. However, the NAO reported that the Department agrees funding for its transformation projects on an annual basis, and their longer-term development is therefore uncertain.64 We heard that e-visas and the introduction of its Atlas programme would provide a better grip on an individual’s immigration data. The Department claimed that Atlas would ensure that it held correct and up-to-date data on immigration cases and make these more accessible for any necessary checks.65 It told us its Business Rules programme would ensure that caseworkers were taking the right actions and improve efficiency.66 However, there have been longstanding concerns about the Department’s systems and data and numerous projects where the importance of good quality data in ensuring the effectiveness of systems was overlooked.67 We also heard that the Department hoped more automated services would allow its immigration enforcement activities to focus more on the most complex cases.68 60 Qq 71–73, 107–108 61 Qq 5–7 62 HC Committee of Public Accounts, Windrush generation and the Home Office, Eighty-second report of session 2017–19, HC 1518, 6 March 2019, p.5 63 Qq 7–8 64 C&AG’s Report, para 1.18 65 Qq 7, 8 66 Q 78 67 Q 64; HC Committee of Public Accounts, Challenges in using data across government, One hundred and eighteenth report of session 2017–19, HC 2492, 25 September 2019, p.12; HC Committee of Public Accounts, Fourth annual report of the Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, Third special report of session 2017–19, HC2370, 27 June 2019, p.13 68 Q 104 Immigration enforcement 17
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's (implicit) recommendation, outlining a commitment to investment in data analytics, developing underpinning infrastructure for accurate data, and a long-term plan for Immigration Enforcement to transform into a data-driven organization by 2025.
Read full response →
HM Treasury