We have a Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/hbtsr) and you can see some of the latest posts by following the link . Unfortunately Facebook no longer supports sharing our page.
We propose to use this page to maintain an updated list of petitions that will also be on our meeting agenda and minutes
Freedom from Torture – ‘Lessons not learned’ report and Letter to Home Secretary
NACCOM and Refugee Action report – Missing the safety net
A lift the ban on working here
B Detention b End indefinite detention Liberty here c Detention Action here c women for refugee women here d Amnesty International here e Freedom from torture here and here
C destitution Join the campaign to call on the Government to deliver dignity, not destitution, for asylum seekers. Briefing here take action here
D let refugees learn Learning English is so important to help with integration. here
E ask the government for a kinder and fairer immigration system here and here and here. F support a welcoming Europe here
t Refugee council petition to the Home Secretary asking that Families be reunited { basically The UK is one of only two countries in the EU that bans child refugees who arrive in the UK alone from bringing any relatives to join them, even their parents].Also adult refugees are prevented from bringing their children over 18, or their elderly parents. New research here]
And a toolkit for campaigning for family reunification
F Some up-to- date facts here and here
G City of Sanctuary newsletter –
Urgent actions and information December 2020
From Asylum Matters
1. Ongoing advocacy
Lift the Ban: Westminster Hall debate
Last week MPs from across the UK and across the political spectrum pressed the Government on the need for reform to allow people seeking asylum to work.
At a Westminster Hall debate in the House of Commons, secured by Labour MP Neil Coyle, MPs raised the many compelling economic and moral arguments to lift the ban. You can read the transcript of the debate; or view the footage of the debate in full; or this tweet captures some of the highlights.
Disappointingly, Minister for Immigration Compliance Chris Philp repeatedly fell back on claims of the risk of a “pull factor” if the right to work rules were changed. The minister said he would report to the House on the Home Office’s review of its policy on the right to work, which has been ongoing for almost two years, “as soon as we’re able to complete it.” !!!!!
Earlier in the day, Conservative MP David Simmonds published an op-ed in The Times setting out his support for reform; while the Lift The Ban coalition published a new campaign animation, which within 24 hours of launch had received over 135,000 views.
Subsequently, Refugee Action has shared a series of ‘fact-check’ tweets on statements made by the minister during the debate; and the Lift The Ban coalition has shared a new video highlighting findings from new opinion polling in the 35 most marginal Conservative-held seats, showing strong public backing for reform.
Meanwhile, the Metro published Ghadaq’s story – a fully qualified doctor from Iraq banned from working in the NHS as she awaits a decision on her asylum claim, despite a “catastrophic shortage” of hospital doctors.
Pressure builds on the Home Office to shut down MoD sites being used as asylum accommodation
Residents, advocates and politicians have continued to raise concerns about the suitability of Napier and Penally barracks to house people seeking asylum. Residents have organised protests within Penally camp, describing the camp as “very old and dilapidated, and not intended for asylum seekers and refugees.” A local health board has also released a series of papers outlining key issues logged with the MoD site at Penally, and a FOI release has revealed correspondence between the Welsh Government and the UK Government about the site. Over the weekend, there have been news reports of rising tensions in Napier and of volunteers being asked to sign non-disclosure agreements when supporting people seeking asylum in the sites.
On the 18th November, the Senedd debated a motion submitted by Helen Mary Jones (the Member for Mid and West Wales) which proposed that the Senedd:
- Believes that the UK Government should have held discussions with the Welsh Government and local representatives before housing asylum seekers at the Penally military base, near Tenby;
· Believes that the decision should be reconsidered because it is an unsuitable place for asylum seekers, as it is isolated from appropriate support networks;
· Condemns the violent protests organised by far-right groups from outside Pembrokeshire;
· Praises local residents and volunteers from across Wales who have welcomed and support the asylum seekers.
The motion passed with 39 voting in favour, 15 abstaining, and 1 voting against.
Hope not Hate launch ‘Respond’ project
Following an increase in far-right activity around immigration and asylum issues, Hope Not Hate are launching a new project to help equip the sector to understand and mitigate the threat of the far-right. A message from Hope Not Hate below:
Immigration has always been a focus for the far right, but over recent months the explicit targeting people who are migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and the organisations that support them has rightly triggered concern, and has brought to the fore the needs of the migration and refugee sector to better understand the threat and how to respond.
HOPE not hate is concerned that the issue will only get bigger over the next twelve months as challenges of accommodation availability and dispersal continue and the economic and political impact of Covid-19 and lockdown bites.
That’s why we’re launching the Response project, which aims to better equip the migration and refugee sector to better understand the extent and nature of the threat posed by the far right, supporting them to apply that understanding through more appropriate responses in both the long and short term, and is made up of 5 key areas:
- Intel: Monitoring the far right with focus on immigration to keep a log of all associated activity, narrative etc. We will create a system for those working in the sector to add intel to build a fuller picture
· Equipping: Sharing intel with sector and developing understandings of far right threat level and appropriate response
· Response: Responding to incidents, developing capacity to respond
· Security: Ensuring safeguarding and security
· Long term: Disrupting a context which enables the far right
To sign up for updates from the project, click here. Hope Not Hate have also created an online form where partners can submit and share intelligence. You can also contact the project through a dedicated inbox [email protected]. Further information will be shared as the project progresses.
Destitution: Evictions for people who have been refused asylum remain paused
As reported in a previous update, following the lockdown in England and ongoing legal action, the Home Office has paused evictions from asylum accommodation for people who have been refused asylum.
If you have any examples of the Home Office making new discontinuation decisions and accommodation providers serving new notices, please contact Kathy Cosgrove of the Greater Manchester Law Centre ([email protected]).
The Home Office have still not provided a public confirmation of their policy position in relation to evictions during lockdown. A written question from Neil Coyle MP on this subject was due for answer on the 4th November, and to date remains unanswered. David Linden MP’s question in the House of Commons on the subject was also left unanswered.
It is our understanding that people who have been granted refugee status are still expected to move on from asylum accommodation within the 28 day period, and there is no pause on evictions for people in this situation. [ NB this doesn’t seem to be the case in Wales]
In other news, the Independent and The Guardian reported that the Home Office did not consult local councils on its decision to restart evictions for people who have been refused asylum. This longer piece from the Guardian features colleagues NACCOM, and outlines the impact of evictions in the middle of a pandemic.
Understanding the new immigration rules targeting non UK-national rough sleepers
Public Law Interest Centre have produced a new factsheet for organisations to better understand the new immigration rules that target non-UK national rough sleepers. The factsheet is attached to this email. Contact PILC at [email protected] for further information.
Research and reports
Public Accounts Committee publishes report into accommodation and support contracts (AASC & AIRE)
The Public Accounts Committee has published its report into the asylum accommodation and support transformation programme, following the report of the National Audit Office in July this year. The report concluded that:
- it was unacceptable that the Home Office failed to consult key stakeholders on the location of contingency accommodation;
· that the Department’s failure to prepare effectively for the new AIRE and AASC service meant it has yet to deliver what was promised;
· that the Home Office had not yet demonstrated that it was getting value for money and that a lack of transparency on service performance was hindering engagement;
· It also found that the Home Office had failed to ensure the safety and security of some of the vulnerable people who use asylum accommodation and support services.
· It recommended that the Home Office set out a clear plan within three months for how it will quickly and safely reduce the use of hotels and ensure that asylum seekers’ accommodation meets their individual needs.
Once again thanks to everyone who provided evidence to go before the National Audit Office and subsequently the report ‘Wake Up Call’ on the AIRE and AASC transition, which has in turn fed into a strong Public Accounts Committee report with clear, welcome and robust recommendations.
ICIBI publishes new reports
The ICIBI has published new reports on refugee resettlement, the Home Office’s use of language services in the asylum process, and on the Home Office’s response to lorry drops. News coverage of the report on lorry drops can be found here, whilst Pink News covered concerns that “interpreter bias” has a large impact on applications made by LGBT+ asylum claimants.
RAS Voice survey on quality of interpreters
RAS Voice is a UK advocacy group made up of refugees and people seeking asylum. They are investigating the quality of interpreters during Home Office interviews and would love to hear your experiences. They are particularly interested in the impact of the Covid pandemic on interviewing. All your comments will be anonymous and you can answer whichever questions you feel comfortable answering. They really appreciate your contribution and hope to launch a campaign to improve the quality of interpreting.
Click here to complete their survey!
HASC inquiry into Channel crossings, migration and asylum seeking routes through the EU
Last week the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) heard evidence on channel crossing, seeking international perspectives from an Australian lawyer and Director General of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration. You can watch/read here, or see a twitter thread summary here. The comments from the Australian lawyer criticising offshore processing made the headlines in The Mirror.
The Committee held another evidence session with legal and policy experts in international law and migration, considering what the UK’s international and legal obligations to asylum-seekers and refugees are.
Red Cross releases new report on family reunion
The British Red Cross has released a new report about family reunion, after speaking with 100 families about their experiences. The report found that:
- 49% of families faced significant barriers and protection concerns due to the current procedural requirements.
· Around 90% of all families granted a visa in the past 10 years have been adult women (33%) and children (58%).
· Almost 60% of families reported as being displaced before and/or during the application process.
· Associated costs, danger and distance of travel to the visa application centre were the main challenges faced by families.
· The level of difficulty faced was impacted by personal and environmental factors such as gender, age, displacement and legal status of the family, finances, stability of the country and the nature of the border crossing.
· 44% of families had to cross at least one border. Of those, over 60% were families travelling with children.
· 17% resorted to using smugglers to cross borders.
You can read the report in full here.
Home Office and Government developments
Government responds to Home Affairs Select Committee Report on Institutional Accommodation
The Government has produced a response to the HASC’s report on Institutional Accommodation published in the summer. Asylum Matters submitted evidence on behalf of partners to the HASC prior to oral evidence sessions with accommodation providers in May 2020. You can read the government’s response to HASC’s recommendations here.
Reporting continues despite second lockdown
Despite the second lockdown in England, the Home Office has confirmed that it will continue to maintain physical reporting for some people subject to immigration control. The new Coronavirus Health regulations exempts travel to “fulfill legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions” and access “asylum and immigration service and interview” from restrictions. Whilst this is not a return to business as usual, and not everyone subject to immigration control will be expected to report, this has resulted in people seeking asylum being forced to travel miles on public transport to reporting centres.
Again I don’t think this is happening in Wales
Migrants Organise have published a helpful update on their website that covers the impact of in-person reporting, what people can do if you are expected to report, and ideas on how to take action. Campaigners in Yorkshire and allies have also written to the Home Secretary calling for her to immediately suspend all immigration bail reporting conditions.
Legal challenge on screening interviews
A recent High Court case has ruled that the Government has not been following its own anti-trafficking policy during the pandemic when omitting certain questions from the screening interview. Claimants in the case brought by Duncan Lewis said they had not been asked specific questions about their journey to the UK during their screening interview, before being placed in immigration detention and threatened with removal. Only after engaging lawyers, they were identified as victims of trafficking and their removals were halted.
The judge ordered that all asylum screening interviews must ask people to outline their journey to the UK. The case will be then heard in full in December. An easy read summary of the case can be found on The Guardian, as well as a more detailed piece on Free Movement.