Nigel Dodds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of training of assessors for asylum applications where religious persecution is the reason for the application.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Home Office carefully considers all asylum claims on their individual merits, including claims based on religious persecution. We grant protection to those who genuinely need it in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Published guidance on the interviewing and consideration of asylum claims is regularly reviewed and takes into consideration the views of stakeholders, including religious groups. The current training and support available for asylum caseworkers includes a the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees endorsed Foundation Training Programme. This, and follow-on courses, covers all aspects of the asylum interview and decision making process, including the assessment of credibility and country information in religious based claims. Real-life case studies and role-play are used throughout the training programme to reinforce knowledge and understanding of the issues.
We are carefully considering the report and recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief published in June 2016 and will provide a response in due course.
