Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that immigration caseworkers fully comply with guidance on handling medical evidence for asylum seeker applications.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
All officials making decisions on asylum claims receive a dedicated five-week foundation training programme which incorporates all relevant aspects of international and domestic law.
Within this programme there are specific sections on torture and medical reports, and how they should be considered and analysed in asylum claims. Medical reports will be considered together with other written and oral evidence in determining an asylum claim to ensure alleged victims of torture have their claims assessed fairly and sensitively.
Furthermore there is a robust quality assurance process in place involving technical specialists which ensures that all policies are complied with when decisions are made.
Asked by: Jared O'Mara (Independent - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration cases involving rejected claims for asylum were overturned on appeal in the last 12 months.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Home Office published data on initial decisions for asylum applications and the number of allowed appeals for applications made in each year to 2016. This can be found in table as_06 published at the link below. The data do not distinguish between appeals resulting from rejected claims and refer to all allowed appeals, regardless of initial decision. Data for 2017 are due to be published in August 2018.