This document is the British Refugee Council, Migrant Helpline, Refugee Action, Refugee Arrivals Project, Scottish Refugee Council, Welsh Refugee Council response to: "Fair, effective, transparent and trusted – Rebuilding confidence in our immigration system;" an independent and transparent assessment of immigration.
This response broadly welcomes the creation of a new body with the potential to scrutinize all areas of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)’s business and drive up standards of protection and support for refugees and asylum seekers. However, it also urges the Home Office to consider carefully the process by which the new body will be created, having particular regard to the impact of the broader organisational change agenda within IND, the need for adequate resourcing and the need to build on, rather than water down, the work of existing bodies.
Crucially, it underlines the importance of the new body having a clear commitment to human rights standards with the independence and powers necessary to achieve positive change across IND and ensure that the Home Office provides protection to all those who need it.
Published in February 2007.
