Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Accepted
Streamlined asylum questionnaires poorly designed, lack clear instructions, and are only available in English.
Recommendation
However the UNHCR, as well as the Public Law Project and Dr Jo Wilding from the Migration Law Clinic, have raised concerns about the streamlined asylum process questionnaire.23 Though the Home Office told us that it had worked with the UNHCR 10 Home Office, Immigration system statistics: Asylum and Resettlement - Asylum seekers in receipt of support: Asy_D09, 24 August 2023 11 C&AG’s Report, para 3.5 ; PM Statement on illegal migration: 13 December 2022, 13 December 202 12 Qq 17, 20, 34 13 Hansard, Illegal Migration Update, 5 September 2023 14 Q 25 15 C&AG’s Report, para 3.6 16 Qq 22, 37 17 Q 36 18 Q 12 19 Q 15, Home Office, Streamlined asylum processing guidance, 16 August 2023 20 Q 12; C&AG’s Report, para 3.11 21 Home Office, Streamlined asylum processing guidance, 16 August 2023 22 TAP0004; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR’s Guide to Asylum Reform in the United Kingdom, 23 February 2021 23 TAP0001; TAP0004; TAP0005 10 The Asylum Transformation Programme to improve the questionnaire, the written evidence we have received indicates that the questionnaires are poorly designed, lack clear instructions and are only available in English.24 Written evidence suggested that some of these weaknesses, along with IT system issues, may mean the Home Office is unable to achieve the expected decision- making increases from the new questionnaires.25
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating it has been implemented and that the Home Office provided a supporting letter to the Committee on 9 January 2024 addressing the identified weaknesses in the streamlined asylum process questionnaire.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 The Home Office has written to the Committee (9 January 2024) in a supporting letter addressing the bullets in this recommendation.