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<p>The Home Office is exploring many options to reduce the number of outstanding asylum
claims. Alongside seeking temporary resource from within the Home Office and other
government departments, we are also exploring with third-party suppliers, through
a proof of concept, to test the viability of whether they can deliver the support
required as a temporary, short term measure. Asylum interviews have not been outsourced.</p><p>At
this stage we are only exploring the potential feasibility of using third party resource
to support asylum interviewing, however the name of the third-party supplier who is
assisting with the proof of concept is commercially sensitive at this stage.</p><p>Any
future service, beyond a proof of concept, would be subject to an appropriate commercial
process subject to any recommendations being agreed to do so. Any future service would
increase interview throughput, help rebalance the system, but also speed up decision
making, reduce the number of outstanding cases and support costs.</p><p>The Home Office
will evaluate the success of the proof of concept pilot by conducting an evaluation
once we have completed the proof of concept exercise. The evaluation will include
a lessons learnt exercise, inform findings and conclusions on any future service requirement.</p><p>
</p><p>To ensure external suppliers are suitably equipped to carry out the role, third-party
interviewing officers will complete a bespoke training package, delivered by the qualified
asylum operations training team, that has been designed specifically to meet their
needs. Anyone who conducts asylum interviews receives thorough training to ensure
they are fully equipped for the role. The Home Office is not planning to disclose
to a claimant if they have been interviewed by a third party rather than a Home Office
employee as we expect the experience to equal the existing high standards already
in place.</p><p> </p><p>To guarantee governance and accountability, mechanisms are
in place for the oversight of third-party interviews, the department has a quality
assurance process which assesses the quality of decisions, interviews and the application
of Home Office policy.</p><p> </p>
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