Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make training on how to assess asylum applications on the grounds of religious persecution compulsory for his Department's asylum caseworkers.

We are committed to delivering an asylum process that is sensitive to the needs of the claimants so that sufficient information can be obtained to facilitate fair and sustainable decisions on asylum claims. All interviewing and decision making personnel receive extensive training on interviewing and considering asylum claims, and must follow published Home Office policy guidance when conducting screening and substantive asylum interviews and considering asylum claims.

Specialist training to assist decision making staff consider asylum claims based upon religious persecution is currently being developed and will be rolled out to staff as soon as possible.