Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what psychological support is provided by her Department to victims of torture seeking asylum in the UK.

All officials making decisions on asylum claims receive a dedicated five-week foundation training programme which includes specific sections on torture and medical reports, and ensuring alleged victims of torture are assessed fairly and sensitively. Staff working with asylum claimants are trained to identify mental health concerns but are not medically trained to identify the need for treatment. Where mental health concern is identified, the claimant is referred, or signposted, to medical or support services.