Asylum

(asked on 14th January 2019) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it remains his Department's policy to consider an asylum-seeker's claim for asylum less favourably if that person did not claim asylum in the first safe country they reached; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Caroline Nokes Portrait
Caroline Nokes
This question was answered on 17th January 2019

The United Kingdom has a proud tradition of providing sanctuary to those in need of protection. Where we are responsible for deciding asylum claims we will consider all cases on their individual merits.

Our domestic legislation and Immigration Rules underline the importance of claiming asylum in the first safe country, which is reflected in section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of claimants etc.,) Act 2004. This clearly states that a failure to take advantage of a reasonable opportunity to claim asylum in a safe country shall be taken into account in assessing the individual’s credibility.

In light of the recent sharp increase in the number of migrants attempting perilous Channel crossings to the UK in small boats, I have asked my officials to look at what more we can do to deter asylum seekers from travelling to the UK – often dangerously – from other safe countries in the first place.

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