Recommendation 30: Enhance Professional Standards Unit independence and seniority
From The Brook House Inquiry Report, published 19 September 2023.
Recommendation
The Home Office must: take steps to enhance the independence of the Professional Standards Unit from the Home Office and the perception of this independence; and increase the seniority of the Head of the Professional Standards Unit so that they are closer in status to the Heads of the relevant Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams.
In brief (written by this site)
In January 2025, Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State at the Home Office, stated in a written answer that the recommendation had been rejected following full consideration (Dame Angela Eagle response, Jan 2025; Dame Angela Eagle, Jan 2025). The department had previously stated in its March 2024 response that the seniority of the Head of the Professional Standards Unit would not be changed (Home Office response, Mar 2024). The record holds no update since the department's response of January 2025 (Dame Angela Eagle response, Jan 2025; Dame Angela Eagle, Jan 2025).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
Following full consideration three recommendations (recommendations 7, 19 and 30) have been rejected.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for the three recommendations it says were rejected. The same words are recorded on recommendations 7, 19 and 30.
Earlier statement from Home Office (1)
6.9.3. Whilst the seniority of the Head of the PSU will not be changed, the government is confident that the PSU operates within Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) Code of Practice on disciplinary procedures requiring fairness and transparency in workplace investigations. Should any complainant be dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation, there are well communicated routes for escalation or redress outside the Home Office via the PPO.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: CP 1041 is organised by ten key issues, not by recommendation, and states no position on any individual recommendation. Its only general statement of acceptance is that "The government has carefully considered and accepts the broad thrust of the recommendations". The words "in principle" do not appear anywhere in the document.
Delivery
Home Office says not accepted (15 January 2025)
Site note: One written answer of 15 January 2025 addresses all 33 recommendations in groups: it names each recommendation in one of four groups and says nothing further about any of them individually. It does not say which of the 30 it describes as "accepted or partially accepted" were accepted in full and which in part.
Site note: The source gives this passage once, for the three recommendations it says were rejected. The same words are recorded on recommendations 7, 19 and 30.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Home Office
Response, delivery statement