Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessments she has made of the potential merits of permitting asylum seekers to work while they await the outcome of an asylum application.

Asylum seekers are allowed to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own. Those permitted to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).

A review of the policy has concluded and there will be no changes to the policy at this time.