We are currently carefully considering the report and its recommendations. The report acknowledges the progress made by the Home Office with regards to guidance and training provided to its staff but highlighted the Group\u2019s view that there were some discrepancies between the Home Office policy and practice.<\/p>
The Home Office carefully considers all asylum claims on their individual merits and grants protection for those who genuinely need it, in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In every asylum case the particular circumstances of the individual are considered in light of published country information, which includes issues relating specifically to religious freedoms.<\/p>
Published guidance on the interviewing and consideration of religious claims is regularly reviewed and takes into consideration the views of religious groups and other stakeholders.<\/p>
All asylum decision makers are currently receiving credibility training. This course trains decision makers on how to assess the evidential value of their interview questions (including when assessing religious based claims and religious conversion), the various reasons why someone may not come across as credible in an asylum interview and discusses issues such as speculation and implausibility. The 5-week Foundation Training Programme (FTP) for new decision makers trains staff on all aspects of the asylum decision making process, including religious based claims and religious conversion has been endorsed by the UNHCR.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-15T11:09:55.513Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum: Religion"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for the Government's policy on asylum of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief, entitled Asylum report: inadequate assessment of religion-based claims, published in June 2016.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4393", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart C McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart C. McDonald"} ], "uin" : "40100"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/523561", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/523561/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information is provided in the table, based on the available published statistics which relate to the \u2018Family: other\u2019 category, which are known to very largely consist of family reunion cases .<\/p>
The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in \u2018Immigration Statistics\u2019, available from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics<\/p>
This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the Standard of Official Statistics.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/523561/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "Table - 39817.xls"} , "title" : "Resolved entry clearance visas"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-14T10:39:21.323Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum: Families"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for refugee family reunion have been (a) made, (b) resolved, (c) granted and (d) refused by nationals from (i) Syria, (ii) Eritrea, (iii) Afghanistan, (iv) Iran and (v) Sudan in each of the last 12 quarters.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4393", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart C McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart C. McDonald"} ], "uin" : "39817"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/522655", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/522655/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In accordance with the Statement of Requirements, COMPASS providers provide a confidential, yet auditable complaints service for service users of asylum accommodation. Where a Service User raises, or the provider becomes aware of, a prescribed complaint, the provider immediately reports any such complaints to the Home Office and where appropriate the police.<\/p>
The Home Office closely monitors provider performance, including complaints and incident reporting, at monthly contract management meetings. The recording of information concerning the reports made solely by service users of (a) anti-social, suspicious, criminal, threatening or harassing behaviour, (b) neglect, sexual harassment or exploitation and (c) domestic violence or concerns with safeguarding of children in each year is not however recorded on centrally collated statistical databases in manner that allows for data extraction and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by examination of individual monthly records.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-16T16:53:56.377Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Compass Contracts"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Compass contracts for asylum accommodation and paragraphs 4.4.2.6 (b), (d) and (e) of the Compass Statement of requirements, how many reports were made by service users in each Compass region of (a) anti-social, suspicious, criminal, threatening or harassing behaviour, (b) neglect, sexual harassment or exploitation and (c) domestic violence or concerns with safeguarding of children in each year since 2013.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4393", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart C McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart C. McDonald"} ], "uin" : "38986"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/522656", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/522656/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In accordance with statement of requirements, COMPASS providers provide a confidential, yet auditable complaints service for service users of asylum accommodation. Complaints and incidents can be reported by service users themselves or by other parties such as co-residents, NGO\u2019s, representatives, provider housing officers or Home Office inspectors.<\/p>
Where a Service User or other party raises a prescribed complaint, the provider immediately reports any such allegations to the Home Office and where appropriate the police. The Home Office closely monitors complaints by type and Compass region, however information split by complainant type can only be obtained at disproportionate cost by examination of individual incident records.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-16T16:40:17.273Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Compass Contracts"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Compass contracts for asylum accommodation and paragraphs 4.5.1.3(d) and (e) of the Compass Statement of Requirements, how many reports were made by service users in each Compass region of (a) sexual or physical abuse and concerns regarding the safeguarding of children, neglect, harassment or exploitation and (b) theft or loss of a service user's belongings in each year since 2013.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4393", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart C McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart C. McDonald"} ], "uin" : "38987"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/522664", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/522664/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
When a family reunion application is made, individuals can specify when they would like the visa to be valid from to take account of their need to make the necessary travel arrangements. If there is any delay expected in the processing time of the application, the individual will be contacted by UKVI and informed about the delay. Where someone is unable to make arrangements to travel to the UK within 30 days, they can apply for a replacement visa.<\/p>
We continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure we deliver further improvements including reviewing the visa issuing processes and associated guidance.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-13T17:09:39.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asylum: Families"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that the issuing of 30-day entry clearance visas does not inhibit refugee family reunion; and for what reasons such time-limited entry clearance visas are issued.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4393", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart C McDonald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart C. McDonald"} ], "uin" : "39205"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 5, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }