Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the subject matter of a Freedom of Information request concerning (a) immigration, (b) visas and (c) asylum is a criterion for referral to (i) the Communications Directorate and (ii) special advisers; and if she will publish any subject-specific referral criteria.

No. The subject matter of a Freedom of Information request is not, in itself, a criterion for referral to the Communications Directorate or special advisers. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and may be referred where appropriate. There is no automatic referral solely because a request concerns immigration, visas or asylum. The department has no current plans to publish its internal operational guidance on referral criteria.