Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of his Department's policy on the criteria for awarding people awaiting a decision on their refugee status a national insurance number.

Asylum Seekers are provided with a National Insurance number if they have permission to work. The rules allow those asylum seekers who have been waiting for 12 months through no fault of their own to take up employment in Shortage Occupation list roles.

Asylum Seekers who are granted leave to remain are provided with a National Insurance number by DWP as quickly as possible after their grant. We have worked with DWP to ensure National Insurance numbers are issued on the BRP to enable those with a right to work.