Asylum: Crime
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has considered designating the handling of pre‑arrival safeguarding disclosures from asylum seekers as a national responsibility.
Answered by Alex Norris
The Home Office is responsible for the asylum process. The Home Office conducts mandatory identity, criminality and security checks on all individuals who claim asylum, including biometric checks against relevant Home Office systems and national and international law enforcement databases, to ensure appropriate consideration of any risks to the UK. During screening or asylum interviews, or through provision of other evidence, asylum seekers may disclose that they were allegedly involved in criminal incidents prior to arriving in the UK. This information is routinely captured and considered as part of the asylum process
There are frameworks and processes in place, to facilitate the sharing of sensitive information with stakeholders. The Home Office regularly reviews the sharing of such information to ensure it remains necessary, proportionate and complies with legislation.
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