Equality and the UK asylum process

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 27 Sep 2021 Closed: 6 Feb 2024 Parliament page
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 .
23 Recommendations
13 Conclusions
1 Report
6 Oral sessions
8 Letters
7 Events
Activity timeline 23 events
19 Sep
2023
Report published
27 Jun
2023
Report published
19 Apr
2023
Correspondence
1 Feb
2023
Correspondence
25 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
25 Jan
2023
Correspondence
25 Jan
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
18 Jan
2023
Correspondence
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
4 Jul
2022
Informal meeting · Birmingham
Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions
25 Jan 2023
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Women and Equalities Committee
Dan Hobbs · Home Office Mandy Ivemy · Home Office The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP · Home Office
15 Jun 2022
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Equality and the UK asylum process
Andy Hewett · Refugee Council Esther Baleh Jennifer Blair · Ukraine Advice Project UK Zahra Shaheer
27 Apr 2022
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Equality and the UK asylum process
Esther Muchena · Scottish Refugee Council Ms Rivka Shaw · Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU) Rosalind Bragg · Maternity Action
23 Mar 2022
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Equality and the UK asylum process
Annie . · VOICES Network Kathryn Cronin · Garden Court Chambers Ms Pip McKnight · Refugee Women Connect Ms Priscilla Dudhia · Women for Refugee Women Roxana . · VOICES Network
23 Feb 2022
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Equality and UK asylum process
Dr S Chelvan Leila Zadeh · Rainbow Migration Professor Nuno Ferreira · University of Sussex
26 Jan 2022
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Equality and the Asylum Process
David Goodhart · Policy Exchange Jonathan Thomas · Social Market Foundation Ms Zoe Gardner · Joint Council on the Welfare of Immigrants Rossella Pulvirenti · Manchester Metropolitan University
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Equality and the UK asylum process HC 93 27 Jun 2023 36 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
16 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Substandard and unsanitary conditions in asylum accommodation continue, impacting vulnerable individuals.
Substandard conditions in asylum accommodation are unacceptable. No one should have to endure unsanitary conditions, particularly people who are vulnerable. The slow claim determination process means people can be stuck in poor accommodation for excessive periods leading to and exacerbating … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges challenges in securing suitable accommodation for asylum seekers, reaffirms its commitment to decent standards, and states that it will take action, including financial penalties, where providers fail to meet these standards.
Government Equalities Office
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17 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Ensure asylum accommodation contractors provide decent, safe standards and face penalties for failures.
The Home Office must do more to ensure contracted providers of asylum accommodation provide accommodation of a decent, safe standard and hold contractors to account with financial penalties when they fail to do so. The Home Office should enhance its … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges challenges in securing suitable accommodation for asylum seekers, reaffirms its commitment to decent standards, and states that it will take action, including financial penalties, where providers fail to meet these standards.
Government Equalities Office
View details
18 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Serious safeguarding issues, including hate crime, persist in asylum accommodation due to ineffective mechanisms.
We were disturbed to hear reports of serious safeguarding issues, including LGBT hate crime and violence against women, occurring in all types of asylum accommodation. Despite the asylum support contracts safeguarding framework, published in May 2022, many settings appear to … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers is paramount and that they have measures in place to protect vulnerable individuals, including working with accommodation providers, having a safeguarding policy, training staff, and a dedicated safeguarding team.
Government Equalities Office
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20 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Equality and the U…
Crowded contingency accommodation poses unacceptable safeguarding and equality risks for vulnerable asylum seekers.
Accommodation of asylum seekers with a range of vulnerabilities arising from protected characteristics, including single women, mothers, children and LGBT people, in crowded hotel and other contingency accommodation, including the recently acquired accommodation barges, is unacceptable from both safeguarding and … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers is of paramount importance and that they have measures in place to protect vulnerable individuals, including working with accommodation providers, having a safeguarding policy, training staff, and a dedicated safeguarding team.
Government Equalities Office
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 36 of 23 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 9
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 7
Rejected 8
Total 23 recs + 13 conclusions
Correspondence 8 letters
19 Apr 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Immigration relating to follow-up evidence to the Committee’s inquiry on Equality and the UK asylum process
Parliament page
1 Feb 2023 To committee Response from the Director of Detention Services on further questions relating to the Derwentside visit
Parliament page
25 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Committee to Frances Hardy, Director of Detention Services, Immigration Enforcement, Home Office, relating to Derwentside IRC
Parliament page
18 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Chair to Tom Pursglove on Equality and the UK Asylum Process
Parliament page
16 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Director of Detention Services relating to the Committee’s visit to Derwentside
Parliament page
16 Jan 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Immigration relating to the asylum inquiry
Parliament page
16 Jan 2023 From committee Letter to the Head of Detention Progression and Returns Command relating to the Committee’s visit to Derwentside
Parliament page
15 Jun 2022 Correspondence from EHRC regarding of a report into the experience and treatment of low paid ethnic minority workers in health and adult social care
Parliament page