Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported working practices in the office of the Next Generation Casework project requiring staff to meet targets or face disciplinary action, in relation to the handling of asylum cases.

The Home Office has plans to reduce the number of outstanding undecided asylum claims. Part of this included the creation of a new team in Bootle which has been established to help tackle older cases in the asylum system. This team has been designed to establish and roll out best practice in the management of older cases.

Across the business, fully trained asylum decision makers are expected to carry out five interviews or decisions a week. Staff who are not meeting this will be offered support and more training as part a personal improvement plan.